The mini-freeway bloggers are out in St Petersburg.

Hooyah!!!

I can’t remember. All of the bills and votes on FISA. What does this mean? (Per Gillibrand)
I supported the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) bill supported by the Chairman of the Intelligence Committee.

Is it cold there? 33 here. hard freeze tonight. been cold all week.

That’s great. Think those will last very long? Look high enough that they can’t be ripped down without at leas ta little effort.

A little warmer this morning. Supposed to have been another hard freeze last night but I haven’t checked. Yesterday’s paper talked of fruit and vege farmers losing some of their crops.

We’ve got some intrepid folks here. To paraphrase Leno in his Tostitos days: Tear as many down as you like, we’ll make more. *g*

Good Job! On one of the pictures, it shows a vacant strip center with a big for lease sign. Are you seeing a lot of empty store fronts in your area?

Creationism goes down in Texas.

from that link;

AUSTIN (KXAN) – The drama over the potential inclusion of creationism or intelligent design in Texas biology curriculum is over for now as a coalition of six Democrats and two Republicans defeated an amendment that would have maintained discussion of evolution’s “weaknesses.”

here’s the thing about teaching creationism in biology class, they are going about it all wrong;

I have absolutely no problem with teaching creationism in public school, it defineately has historical significance and can be tought just like they taught me all about zues and greek mythology in history

however biology, whether right or wrong means “no magic”, it means “if magic really did it then find a differant reason because there is no magic allowed in biology”

there

I don’t mind teaching my kids that some people believe in a grand wizard, (I happen to believe in a grand wizard however I believe the grand wizard used biology to work his magic)

so there it is, “no grand wizareds in biology, no magic in science class”

then they can teach their magic courses and wizardry in their “history of mankind” or whatever they want to call it

It means she is a good little DLCcer and will do the bidding of her masters. Spew!

Biden will like her. She looks very clean.

More than ever. The pundits say the Tampa Bay area is on track to lose as many as 80,000 jobs this year. Thanks to county commissions in both Pinellas and Hillsborough who want to play the tax cuts for the corporations game and the religious wingnut commissioners, particularly in Hillsborough. Hillsborough schools lost 10,000 students in 2008.

Hillsborough schools lost 10,000 students in 2008.

Where did they go? Or is it just that the population is getting more mature?

What do you mean “clean”? What I really want to know is why do you think Biden likes clean?

was /s/. Biden said that about Obama during the primaries and (rightfully) got slammed for it.

Moved away. Lots of folks moving out of the state. The Rethugs have run the place into the ground. For decades FL based its revenue on growth alone. With the housing collapse revenues are way down and the Rethug legislature doesn’t want to talk about any other sources of revenue. There’s a sales tax exemption for a guy, yeah, one guy, who raises ostriches and he doesn’t have to pay tax on feed. Just one example of the bullshit coming out of the legislature. If you knew Jeb you were in like Flynn. One other minor reason some have moved is the schools teach only to a standardized test called FCAT, Jeb’s crown jewel. Their children aren’t getting an education worth a damn so the families are bailing. FL high school grads gotta be the dumbest bunch I’ve ever seen.

news report on that

Not to charter schools, are they? That’s alot. Our kiddies brought home the annual letter from our school board that the Orange County schools have not met One Child Left Behind standards and must come up with a remedial plan (which is at the website for our viewing pleasure.)

As St. Theresa is supposed to have said, “More tears are shed over answered prayers than unanswered.” Now instead of a progressive vote in the Senate and support for Obama’s agenda, which all of Kennedy’s statements indicated she would be, we have another DLCer.

Oh, okay. Thanks. Some people get slammed not matter what they say, don’t you think?
But, I agree. She does have that girl scout look about her. Must be genetic.

I know. Some of us are upset about it. We’ll have to see how Gillibrand does, but something tells me she’ll be bucking Obama as Hillary would have had she remained in her Senate seat instead of being our next SOS.

Have a great day everyone. Gotta go to work with the rest of the schmucks. ;-)

Listening to that video up top makes me nauseous.

I am hoping he runs in the next presidential election and picks sarah as his running mate

or the other way around, talk about shooting yourself in the foot that is exactly what they would be doing yet I guarantee they would think it’s a dream ticket

No, the 10,000 figure includes the charter schools, another of Jeb’s crown jewels. His plan was to do away with public schools altogether, replaced by charter schools and vouchers. Charter schools are no better than the public schools, in some cases worse.

one of my friends who live in central florida (it’s an extended family) home schooled her kids until high school because she wasn’t satisfied with the quality of the education her kids could get. and this from a family of teachers (mostly public school and community college – so all very into public community education). the youngest one just got a full scholarship to the college of his choice – she did good, especially in teaching the kids (there are three) to question and to think for themselves.

very sad that it took home schooling. not many families have the resources to pull that one off.

Thanks. Now I remember. Did darkblack ever do a photo shop of a gangsta, dreadocked Obama? Just wondering. I’ve got to stay on the lighter side of things today. And, no, that’s not a racist comment. *g*

Yeah some people do. That was pretty stupid, though. That was pretty high on Joe’s (long) gaffe list. I figure Biden says stupid stuff so often that when he gets slammed for it, it must be really stupid. (Don’t get me wrong. Unlike some(many?) here, I love Joe and have for a long time and was very gald when was chosen.)

Yes, but it isn’t a done deal yet. The most appalling fact in the article is the explanation that Texas school book selection, due to volume, tends to dictate which texts are available over much of the nation.

FL high school grads gotta be the dumbest bunch I’ve ever seen.

Come to Savannah and meet a few products of the Chatham County Board of Education… It’s pitiful.

yup, charter schools was intended to break the public schools system to make it look like it fails, vouchers are intended to bankrupt the public school system

As much as I despise Jeb he’s still the brightest of the bunch. By 2012 he’ll be so involved as a venture capitalist I doubt he’d want to give that up. I really don’t see Jeb running for public office again. He prolly would have walked away with it if he’d decided to run for Martinez’s seat. The idiot Rethugs luv ‘em some Jeb.

One of the agents at my place is the granddaughter of a former governor of Georgia. All mouth and no brain.

The most appalling fact in the article is the explanation that Texas school book selection, due to volume, tends to dictate which texts are available over much of the nation.

Yes that was a bit of a shocker. We have had eight years of the country going by Texas standards and we have seen where that has gone. Question. why is it that “Intelligent design” is promoted by the unintelligent?

i started to write a commenta bout all this and erased it by accident. Suffice to say te schools are awful but my kids lucked out and for FL, at least, they are pretty good. the legislature? Don’t get me started. How in God’s name can a state this big be run almost exclusively on sales tax revbenue – especially when the toursist aren’t showing up? Obviously, it can’t. But what really pises me off is the legislators know that damn well but don’t give a shit. a “Starve the big, bad government” mentality. And what really pisses me off is that it’s 33 friggin degrees!!!! Soebody help me out. Why did I move here again?

yeah. it was his for the asking. he can always have the other seat. that’s vacant isn’t it? Maybe it just seems that way.

Oh, SD. What kind words does she have for you, I wonder.

so sad that as a nation we haven’t done better by our kids. :(

BFL – i’m so glad things are working out for your kids. my friends just lucked out in that the mom wanted to find some intellectually challenging work and at the time they didn’t need a second income. helped also that the extended family was nearby (and filled with teachers) and that they’ve lived in that town for decades and so know lots of people, including other teachers.

Why did I move here again?

because next week when it’s blizzarding here you are going to be telling me about walking outside in a t-shirt. *g*

And what really pisses me off is that it’s 33 friggin degrees!!!! Soebody help me out. Why did I move here again?

You are more than welcome to visit here this weekend when it is supposed to be at minus degrees for a few days…. we could swap dwellings for the long weekend if you wish.

In NH the tax base consists of various “fees” fishing licenses and such and on property taxes which are crippling for retirees such as myself. My property taxes take almost two thirds of my Soc Sec. I re “buy” my home every 5 years with what I pay today. We need an income tax!!!!!

We’ve never gotten along so I don’t give a damn. I have a problem with people who admit to my face that they have no problem lying to get what they want.

Rethugs like dumb.

No, Nelson is in until 2012. We’re working to get rid of this DLCer as well.

My property taxes take almost two thirds of my Soc Sec. I re “buy” my home every 5 years with what I pay today.

holy cow.

p.s. i am very pleased that here in ma we defeated a proposal to lower our income tax.

Ah, now I understand what you meant. I’m not fond of those people either. And, she’s a real estate agent? She should be careful. She might lose her license if someone found out she was intentionally lying and reported her.

Feels like something’s missing without the count. *g*

stuff calls…. later pups.

Years ago, after I moved to NH to buy a business, I was golfing with my accountant and complaining about the damn tax bills here. His advice, move back to Mass, you will pay less taxes.

NH has something called a Business Profits Tax that tends to cripple small businesses.

Later, selise.

She’s so good she knows where the line is. On occasion we’ve had to deal with a new owner of income property who was told the piece of shit they bought would fetch 1200 a month. The owner is mad at the rental dept, not the agent that sold the property.

Yep. Keith is still counting the days since Mission Accomplished, tho.

Off to swim in the great capitalist cesspool.

Be good to yourselves, and all other living things.

Namaste

I worked for a commercial real estate office for about 6 months and hated it. All the type A personality, young bratty agents who didn’t respect anyone, including me, drove me nuts. That and some other unfair stuff that was going on there.
Let’s just say it wasn’t my perfect milieu. Ha.

Just heard on the radio that as of today ALL military personnel killed in action may be buried in Arlington with full military honours, i.e., band, colour guard, caisson, etc. Up until now only officers were accorded such honours. Army stated that now all soldiers will receive the same honours, regardless of rank.

It’s about fuckin’ time.

We’ve only got a couple of those left. One hard case young (26) guy I’ve not been able to crack. Too hung up on his “specialness.” Spit.

Did anyone hear the speech Sheldon Whitehouse gave on the Senate floor yesterday? It was a brutal indictment of the Bush/Republican regime of the last 8 years and the need to hold those responsible for crimes accountable.

looseheadprop’s up
NY Senate: It’s Like a “Columbo” Episode

My son , who is an officer, said that he would be allowed to be buried at Arlington, after he was awarded a bronze star. Before that no. Not that he wants to be buried there.

How much room is left in Arlington?

They just got through with an expansion

I may have to google that to see if there’s a link. You wouldn’t happen to have one, would you?

Don’t know but I think they’ve expanded it in recent years.

There’s plenty of room in Crawford, TX!
would be the quintessential shrine for GWB

And I don’t fall into the eligibility requirements. *sniff*

That’s ok, they wouldn’t allow my tigers’ cremains be buried with mine anyhoo.

Argh. Anybody else would feel bad looking at all the headstones. Him? Prolly thing, The more the merrier.

I’ve looked and can’t find anything yet. Still looking. The speech was brilliant.

Thank you, thank you. I’ll look too. Sounds like it might be a good front pager or at least an oxdown diary.

On Roe v Wade: the situation in Canada is not as desperate as in the USA, but when Henry Morgentaler was named to the Order of Canada in 2008, several previous recipients returned their insignias in protest.

For many people, Dr. Morgentaler embodies the fight for a woman’s right to abortion in Canada. Justice Bertha Wilson, in the Supreme Court decision ruling (1988), said:

The decision whether to terminate a pregnancy is essentially a moral decision, a matter of conscience. I do not think there is or can be any dispute about that. The question is: whose conscience? Is the conscience of the woman to be paramount or the conscience of the state? I believe, for the reasons I gave in discussing the right to liberty, that in a free and democratic society it must be the conscience of the individual.

DIGG is open.

65 comments and nobody opened the DIGG?? Please show appreciation for BlueTexan’s making our news searchs easier each day.
pup34

Here’s the link to the Sheldon Whitehouse speech. This should go viral!
http://whitehouse.senate.gov/n…..b7b765d5ee

Not to be anal retentive about my deep dislike of Ron Fournier, but it would be great if people stopped linking to AP stories in favor of unbiased, quality journalistic sources. Maybe if AP’s impact on the public were minimized there would be changes at that organization. I don’t expect everyone to boycott AP completely, as I have done, but keeping Fournier’s politics in mind while writing or posting could be enough to tip the scales (eventually).

Meanwhile, Senate Republicans accused Democrats of leaving them out of the process of crafting the spending side of the plan, prompting the Senate Appropriations Committee to delay taking it up.

I would be laughing except for that last part – how petty. Delay the most important financial package in decades because they didn’t get to “participate.” But, of course, IOKIYAR. Payback is a bitch, people.

My favorite quote from Pelosi ever:

“Yes, we wrote the bill. Yes, we won the election,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) told reporters yesterday, saying Republicans were not being realistic in their expectations.

About freaking time.
(the quotes are all from the linked-to article-the bold is mine)