FlaBlog brings me this happy reminder about “Jeb Bush's and the Dept. of Education's refusal to enforce minimal standards for receiving state school voucher money. A draft proposal calls for voluntary rules and if you don't comply, no biggie, you still get state money.”
The voucher program has already had a series of scandals where people started “schools” that only existed on paper, so this is especially evil.
The Florida legislature just concluded its annual sitting in the traditional manner—passing a flurry of bad legislation. Here's one example from the ever-informative Florida Politics:
During this year's session, a few Florida legislators — backed by the marine industry — waged a propaganda campaign of lies and half-truths to convince their colleagues that manatees no longer are endangered. Manatee numbers are increasing so rapidly, the lie went on, that the greedy monsters are threatening underwater grasses where fish hide and breed.
Because of those whoppers and a little behind-the-scenes arm-twisting, Senate Bill 540 will be law unless Gov. Bush vetoes it. “Save the manatees, governor”.
This is surprising:
=< Halavais: News>=: Where have all the bloggers gone? Well, basically the places you would expect. Lots in Boston, lots in Austin, lots on the coast, and a surprising dispersal in Florida (?)
See the cool map too (albeit only for blogs hosted by Livejournal and Diaryland).
First we put half our stuff in storage. Then we moved into the front half of the house, about the size of a NY two-bedroom apartment, putting the kids into a bunk bed. The idea was to start the project in the fall, and finish by about, well, May or June. Then we had permit delays. Then, finally, in January we knocked down the empty half of our house — including a piece of the kitchen — so we could rebuild it better and bigger. Then they started to build, poured a foundation, built some walls, and almost a month ago got ready to pour the beam and install the trusses.
But wait! We failed inspection! The city of Coral Gables has tougher requirements than the County and even though these were noted on the plans, the engineer just did the routine calculations. Three week delay to recalculate, get twice as many trusses, re-inspect. Ok, that takes us to last week. Good to go to pour some beams, right?
Oops. Seems there's a cement shortage. As the contractor tells it, there were three local plants that supplied about 60% of south Florida's needs with the rest coming from abroad. Most of the imported stuff is being diverted to other places, like China, that are willing to pay higher prices than Florida (!). And all three of the local plants are having mechanical problems. The biggest plant has problems so severe that the owners have decided not to repair it, but just to wait for the new plant to come on stream in about a month.
So after a few days extra delay we managed to get a truck to come and bring some of this precious commodity, and we poured yesterday. Except we ran out.
Question: Is it more reasonable to imagine we'll finish in August (contractor's current estimate), December (my guess), or some time after next March….
Ex-N.H. Senator Ends Bid for Fla. Seat: MIAMI – Former New Hampshire Sen. Bob Smith on Thursday ended his campaign for a Senate seat in his new home of Florida, citing a poor start to fund-raising.
Darn. I didn't even know he was running, and now we don't have Bob Smith to kick around any more. Oh well, plenty left:
Several Republicans are seeking the Republican nomination to succeed retiring Democratic Sen. Bob Graham, including former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Mel Martinez, attorney Larry Klayman, House Speaker Johnnie Byrd, former Rep. Bill McCollum and businessman Doug Gallagher.
Unless there's something we're not being told here, this is a sign that some people have lost all sense of morality. Can it really be a CRIME to share your picnic with homeless people? Even if the sharing is premeditated and the picnic somewhat pretextual?
It's legal to feed stray dogs but not hungry people? The ants can have their picnic but not the homeless? You need a FEEDING LICENSE TO GIVE FOOD TO THE HOMELESS IN TAMPA?
3 Arrested During 'Picnic' With Homeless In Park: The feud between the group Food Not Bombs and the police has been going on since at least March 21. Group members, many of whom are students at the University of South Florida, say it is their right to feed anyone, anywhere they see the need.
City officials say any group wanting to gather in the park must pay an application fee and buy insurance. Mayor Pam Iorio has said Massey Park does not have the facilities necessary for feeding the homeless.
Durkin said the group could also affiliate with a recognized feeding organization.
Members of Food Not Bombs, including Anthony Schmidt, say they do not feel they should have to do that.
“It's a contradiction to say we can't have a picnic and share with our friends,'' he said.
(spotted via the aptly-named The American Street)
We should be giving awards to people who feed the hungry, not arresting them.
How low can we go?
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