I've actually surprised myself a bit by not posting about the Olympics (cuz, in case you don't know, I'm addicted). Even more surprising: my first Olympics post is to complain about cnn.com.
I needed a little news fix, so I went to cnn.com to see what's been going on in the world today. And what do I find right there on the front page? The results of Ohno's last event.
Unbelievable.
In case you don't watch and are therefore wondering what the big deal is, the race hasn't aired yet!
Granted, they've had a few leading headlines this week that gave you a good idea of what happened. But this is the first time I've actually seen the result right there on their main page.
The problem with being mad at them is that it makes it harder to get any news. The NYT page is way too annoying via dialup. I'm allergic to anything with "Microsoft" in the name (no, my browser is not Explorer). I'll have to stick to yahoo for a few days until I get over being mad at cnn. Does google have news?
I do love the google doodles. If you haven't seen the ones for the Olympics, you're missing out. Hop over to google! Now! Once there, you can see them all just by clicking on the google doodle you see before you.
Why are you still here?! You're supposed to be looking at the google doodles...
Saturday, February 25, 2006
Friday, February 17, 2006
Bills pending in Ohio
House Bill No. 515
A bill to amend sections 3107.03 and 5103.03 of the Revised Code to prohibit an adoptive or foster child from being placed in the private residence of a homosexual, bisexual, or transgender person.
...
(B) An individual may not adopt if the court in which the petition for adoption is filed determines that any of the following apply:
(1) The individual is a homosexual, bisexual, or transgender individual.
(2) The individual is a step-parent of the child to be adopted and is a homosexual, bisexual, or transgender individual.
(3) The individual resides with an individual who the court determines is a homosexual, bisexual, or transgender individual.
I believe we are now actually traveling back in time in Ohio. Of course, given that the voters approved a constitutional amendment outlawing same-sex marriage in this state, I suppose we should have known this would be next.
Here's to hoping this doesn't pass.
Start writing to (or calling) your representatives now. It hasn't been assigned to committee yet, but once it has, email/call all those reps, too.
House Bill No. 460
A bill to enact section 3313.6013 of the Revised Code to authorize public and nonpublic schools to offer a course in firearm safety and marksmanship.
...
(A) The board of education of a school district... may offer as an elective course a one-semester course in firearm safety and marksmanship...
(B) The course of instruction... shall include at least the following:
(7) Practice time at a shooting range;
(8) Demonstration of competence with a firearm.
(C) A school district... shall arrange for adequate shooting range time by pupils ...
(D) To satisfactorily complete the Ohio gun safety program course, a pupil... must demonstrate the ability to discharge a firearm safely.
I'm not even sure what to say about this one. We don't want kids bringing guns to school or otherwise messing around with them; however, we're good with using part of the school day teaching kids to use them!
This way the kids in the gangs [Yes, we have gangs in Ohio! We actually have a fair amount of gang activity in Ohio...] will have even better aim when they're trying to take out rival gang members.
Yeah, that's a grand idea.
Again with the emailing and calling. This one has been assigned to committee, so write to the members of the House Education Committee.
A bill to amend sections 3107.03 and 5103.03 of the Revised Code to prohibit an adoptive or foster child from being placed in the private residence of a homosexual, bisexual, or transgender person.
...
(B) An individual may not adopt if the court in which the petition for adoption is filed determines that any of the following apply:
(1) The individual is a homosexual, bisexual, or transgender individual.
(2) The individual is a step-parent of the child to be adopted and is a homosexual, bisexual, or transgender individual.
(3) The individual resides with an individual who the court determines is a homosexual, bisexual, or transgender individual.
I believe we are now actually traveling back in time in Ohio. Of course, given that the voters approved a constitutional amendment outlawing same-sex marriage in this state, I suppose we should have known this would be next.
Here's to hoping this doesn't pass.
Start writing to (or calling) your representatives now. It hasn't been assigned to committee yet, but once it has, email/call all those reps, too.
House Bill No. 460
A bill to enact section 3313.6013 of the Revised Code to authorize public and nonpublic schools to offer a course in firearm safety and marksmanship.
...
(A) The board of education of a school district... may offer as an elective course a one-semester course in firearm safety and marksmanship...
(B) The course of instruction... shall include at least the following:
(7) Practice time at a shooting range;
(8) Demonstration of competence with a firearm.
(C) A school district... shall arrange for adequate shooting range time by pupils ...
(D) To satisfactorily complete the Ohio gun safety program course, a pupil... must demonstrate the ability to discharge a firearm safely.
I'm not even sure what to say about this one. We don't want kids bringing guns to school or otherwise messing around with them; however, we're good with using part of the school day teaching kids to use them!
This way the kids in the gangs [Yes, we have gangs in Ohio! We actually have a fair amount of gang activity in Ohio...] will have even better aim when they're trying to take out rival gang members.
Yeah, that's a grand idea.
Again with the emailing and calling. This one has been assigned to committee, so write to the members of the House Education Committee.
Wednesday, February 15, 2006
Ohio = Political Joke
From Howard Dean today on Paul Hackett being forced out of the Ohio Senate race by the national party:
"I admire Paul Hackett... I consider him a great friend... The Democratic Party was very lucky to have two outstanding candidates in the race for Senate in Ohio."
"Now that the possibility of a bitter primary that inadvertently benefits a Republican incumbent is behind us, I want to urge everyone to come together in support of Sherrod Brown."
Translation: 'Now that the powers that be in Washington have decided that the citizens of Ohio shouldn't be allowed to choose their own candidate, let me introduce the person we want as your senator.'
Dean admires Hackett so much and considers him to be such a fab friend and the Dems here in Ohio were so lucky to have such a good candidate that the DNC cut off his funding and support in order to force him out of the race.
So this is democracy, hunh? Taking away our choices. How exactly does allowing the citizens of this state to choose their own candidate in the primary benefit the Republicans? In case you're wondering, it doesn't.
Since the Dems can't actually articulate a plan for much of anything these days, they've apparently decided to take away all possible choice and force candidates on their constituents.
It is absolutely beyond me that the DNC could do this to us right now. Do they think we don't have enough problems in Ohio? Do they think we haven't had enough political nightmares lately? Do they think of anyone besides themselves and their own power plays?
I get it: The Repubs take the elections away after the fact and the Dems rig them from the get go.
Ah democracy in action. Is this what we've been fighting for all these years? The right to have politics and politicians foisted upon us? The right to sit still and be quiet? The right not to be heard, not to be listened to, not to even be given the opportunity to pick a candidate in a state primary?
Makes me want to skip right on past the ballot box for the first time in a long time.
"I admire Paul Hackett... I consider him a great friend... The Democratic Party was very lucky to have two outstanding candidates in the race for Senate in Ohio."
"Now that the possibility of a bitter primary that inadvertently benefits a Republican incumbent is behind us, I want to urge everyone to come together in support of Sherrod Brown."
Translation: 'Now that the powers that be in Washington have decided that the citizens of Ohio shouldn't be allowed to choose their own candidate, let me introduce the person we want as your senator.'
Dean admires Hackett so much and considers him to be such a fab friend and the Dems here in Ohio were so lucky to have such a good candidate that the DNC cut off his funding and support in order to force him out of the race.
So this is democracy, hunh? Taking away our choices. How exactly does allowing the citizens of this state to choose their own candidate in the primary benefit the Republicans? In case you're wondering, it doesn't.
Since the Dems can't actually articulate a plan for much of anything these days, they've apparently decided to take away all possible choice and force candidates on their constituents.
It is absolutely beyond me that the DNC could do this to us right now. Do they think we don't have enough problems in Ohio? Do they think we haven't had enough political nightmares lately? Do they think of anyone besides themselves and their own power plays?
I get it: The Repubs take the elections away after the fact and the Dems rig them from the get go.
Ah democracy in action. Is this what we've been fighting for all these years? The right to have politics and politicians foisted upon us? The right to sit still and be quiet? The right not to be heard, not to be listened to, not to even be given the opportunity to pick a candidate in a state primary?
Makes me want to skip right on past the ballot box for the first time in a long time.
Monday, February 13, 2006
Who said that?
I give up. Now I realize fully what Mark Twain meant when he said, "The more you explain it, the more I don't understand it."
Justice Jackson wrote this in his dissent in SEC v. Chenery Corp. (Chenery II), 332 U.S. 194 (1947).
Those wacky Supreme Court justices. You just never know what they're going to write!
Justice Jackson wrote this in his dissent in SEC v. Chenery Corp. (Chenery II), 332 U.S. 194 (1947).
Those wacky Supreme Court justices. You just never know what they're going to write!
Holy Toledo, Batman
Oh Noe, no corruption here...
From today's Toledo Blade:
Tom Noe was charged today by a Lucas County grand jury with 53 felony counts relating to his dealings with $50 million coin funds he managed for the Ohio Bureau of Workers Compensation.
Yes, yes, I know: innocent until proven guilty. But 53 counts? If a person were charged with 53 counts of something(s) that he/she was actually innocent of, the person still needs to make some changes as he/she is clearly coming across as being really shady.
Granted it is not going to happen, but the maximum penalty should he be found guilty of those 53 counts? 172.5 years in prison.
From today's Toledo Blade:
Tom Noe was charged today by a Lucas County grand jury with 53 felony counts relating to his dealings with $50 million coin funds he managed for the Ohio Bureau of Workers Compensation.
Yes, yes, I know: innocent until proven guilty. But 53 counts? If a person were charged with 53 counts of something(s) that he/she was actually innocent of, the person still needs to make some changes as he/she is clearly coming across as being really shady.
Granted it is not going to happen, but the maximum penalty should he be found guilty of those 53 counts? 172.5 years in prison.
Sunday, February 12, 2006
Stories of the day
In no particular order, what seem to be three of the top stories of the day:
Michelle Kwan withdrew from the Olympics today. She's one of my favorite skaters, but I'm glad she did this. She's injured, she isn't at her best. Besides the further risk to her body if she were to compete, she also risks a medal for the States. What would be the point of that? Good for her for stepping aside.
Let it snow! The NE saw a bit of snow today. Well, more than a bit: a blizzard dumped over two feet of snow in places. We saw maybe 5 flakes of snow today in Columbus. Apparently Wayne Newton and the Dallas Cowgirl Cheerleaders are stuck here at the airport. Obviously it was, for the most part, a slow news day.
Vice President Cheney accidentally shot a man yesterday while they were out hunting together. Believe it or not, I'm not going to say anything about this one. Nope. Just gonna let it go and let you fill in your own comments.
Michelle Kwan withdrew from the Olympics today. She's one of my favorite skaters, but I'm glad she did this. She's injured, she isn't at her best. Besides the further risk to her body if she were to compete, she also risks a medal for the States. What would be the point of that? Good for her for stepping aside.
Let it snow! The NE saw a bit of snow today. Well, more than a bit: a blizzard dumped over two feet of snow in places. We saw maybe 5 flakes of snow today in Columbus. Apparently Wayne Newton and the Dallas Cowgirl Cheerleaders are stuck here at the airport. Obviously it was, for the most part, a slow news day.
Vice President Cheney accidentally shot a man yesterday while they were out hunting together. Believe it or not, I'm not going to say anything about this one. Nope. Just gonna let it go and let you fill in your own comments.
Save the world with a click
In case you haven't already figured it out, these sites are all related. Click any one of the links below and across the top of the page you'll see tabs for all six sites. So go to the site, click the daily click buttons (you'll see them, they're easy to find), and feel satisfied that you did a good thing for the world without even breaking a sweat.
And if you feel like going shopping, they have some nice stuff available. You'll find that much of it is very unique with interesting origins. I've done some of my Christmas shopping through this site the last couple of years and haven't been disappointed with anything I've purchased. A bonus: all purchases help just the way the clicking does! Whichever site you access the store through (and you can enter the store through multiple sites in one shopping trip) gets the benefit of your purchase. They'll tell you how many mammograms your purchase funds or how many acres of land are saved or how many bowls of food are given to abandoned animals.
And if you feel like going shopping, they have some nice stuff available. You'll find that much of it is very unique with interesting origins. I've done some of my Christmas shopping through this site the last couple of years and haven't been disappointed with anything I've purchased. A bonus: all purchases help just the way the clicking does! Whichever site you access the store through (and you can enter the store through multiple sites in one shopping trip) gets the benefit of your purchase. They'll tell you how many mammograms your purchase funds or how many acres of land are saved or how many bowls of food are given to abandoned animals.
Monday, February 6, 2006
More stupid Ohio tricks
They're wanting to put the TEL (Tax Expenditure Limitation) on the ballot in the fall. Though it sounds good the way they pitch it ("politicians have to stop spending our money"), as one Dispatch article put it, it would be a disaster for our state.
I fear, however, that it will pass. Why? Because, again, it sounds good. People don't generally look any further than that. And this money/budget stuff, that seems hard to people so they leave it to the "experts," trusting them to do what's right.
A friend of mine at a cabinet agency is really bent about this (as she should be...), so I'll let her email explain some of what's bad about it
I am afraid it will pass bcz, like you said, it sounds really good - "hey - gov't spends too much money and this would stop them. i'll vote for it and stop those politicians from spending my tax dollars." No, those people do not stop to think for 10 seconds and apply common sense to this issue. Hmm, what does the $ go for now? Do we need those services? What negative effects will this have on the state when people stop getting served who need help, when the roads are neglected and crappy, when kids don't have the proper books and equipment to teach them skills they need for the job market, etc. argh!
Nor do those people understand that a constitutional amendment is more than just "some law." [Note from me: Of course, this is Ohio, where we like to legislate via our constitution.]
The TEL language is so broad, the courts will be deciding how to apply the law (so broad you could drive a truck through it). [And again from me: Just like last year's amendment. Remember, the one about a marriage being between a man and a woman. I know you were trying to block out the fact that it passed. But it did.] Wait, shouldn't legislation be handled by the legislative branch of government? [Well, you would think so, wouldn't you?] I understand some legislation is written and then challenged, but the TEL is very poorly written and incompletely thought out as an idea. [The drafters' responses about the problems with the universities are interesting to me. In essence they say "oh gosh, we didn't mean it that way." Uh hunh. But you wrote it that way. Which means it'll be used that way.]
What is even scarier is that the amendment comes with a supremacy clause overruling any other amendment in the constitution so money that is currently protected will no longer be protected (eg. gas tax and road construction).
I've read in more than one place that this amendment would very possibly push the public universities into operating as private universities. Why? Because it would take away their money. Money OSU raises via ticket sales and merchandising for the Bucks... the money from the hospitals... from any self-funded part of the university (or of the government)... large amounts of that money could be taken away and used elsewhere. So then how does the Shoe operate? And how do the OSU hospitals operate? But again, the drafters' response is that "we didn't mean that." Not a helpful response because they wrote it that way.
The part I really don't get is why this isn't being done through legislation. As we all know, OH is controlled by the Republicans. They pass all kinds of weird things (often behind closed doors after business hours...), why not this? Do they really think it'd fail if taken to the legislature? Curious.
I fear, however, that it will pass. Why? Because, again, it sounds good. People don't generally look any further than that. And this money/budget stuff, that seems hard to people so they leave it to the "experts," trusting them to do what's right.
A friend of mine at a cabinet agency is really bent about this (as she should be...), so I'll let her email explain some of what's bad about it
I am afraid it will pass bcz, like you said, it sounds really good - "hey - gov't spends too much money and this would stop them. i'll vote for it and stop those politicians from spending my tax dollars." No, those people do not stop to think for 10 seconds and apply common sense to this issue. Hmm, what does the $ go for now? Do we need those services? What negative effects will this have on the state when people stop getting served who need help, when the roads are neglected and crappy, when kids don't have the proper books and equipment to teach them skills they need for the job market, etc. argh!
Nor do those people understand that a constitutional amendment is more than just "some law." [Note from me: Of course, this is Ohio, where we like to legislate via our constitution.]
The TEL language is so broad, the courts will be deciding how to apply the law (so broad you could drive a truck through it). [And again from me: Just like last year's amendment. Remember, the one about a marriage being between a man and a woman. I know you were trying to block out the fact that it passed. But it did.] Wait, shouldn't legislation be handled by the legislative branch of government? [Well, you would think so, wouldn't you?] I understand some legislation is written and then challenged, but the TEL is very poorly written and incompletely thought out as an idea. [The drafters' responses about the problems with the universities are interesting to me. In essence they say "oh gosh, we didn't mean it that way." Uh hunh. But you wrote it that way. Which means it'll be used that way.]
What is even scarier is that the amendment comes with a supremacy clause overruling any other amendment in the constitution so money that is currently protected will no longer be protected (eg. gas tax and road construction).
I've read in more than one place that this amendment would very possibly push the public universities into operating as private universities. Why? Because it would take away their money. Money OSU raises via ticket sales and merchandising for the Bucks... the money from the hospitals... from any self-funded part of the university (or of the government)... large amounts of that money could be taken away and used elsewhere. So then how does the Shoe operate? And how do the OSU hospitals operate? But again, the drafters' response is that "we didn't mean that." Not a helpful response because they wrote it that way.
The part I really don't get is why this isn't being done through legislation. As we all know, OH is controlled by the Republicans. They pass all kinds of weird things (often behind closed doors after business hours...), why not this? Do they really think it'd fail if taken to the legislature? Curious.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)