5/30/2002
Beyond Parody Dept. -- Katherine Harris plans a book to be called "Center of the Storm: Practicing Principled Leadership in a Time of Crisis" to be published by Thomas Nelson, a publisher of mainly religious books.
5/23/2002
Say what you want about Jesse Ventura, but he can be a breath of fresh air. This week he vetoed a bill Wednesday that would have required Minnesota's public school students to recite the Pledge of Allegiance at least weekly.
Unlike the Florida Legislature's cynical posturing superpartiots he saw the bill as contrary to real patriotism.
"Patriotism is voluntary," Ventura said in his veto message. "It is a feeling of loyalty and allegiance that is the result of knowledge and belief. No law will make a citizen a patriot."
You go!
Unlike the Florida Legislature's cynical posturing superpartiots he saw the bill as contrary to real patriotism.
"Patriotism is voluntary," Ventura said in his veto message. "It is a feeling of loyalty and allegiance that is the result of knowledge and belief. No law will make a citizen a patriot."
You go!
5/17/2002
The thing I really love about Martin Dyckman of the St. Pete Times is the way, year after year, he can be outraged anew at the Florida Legislature. He's been at it a long time without giving into blithe cynicism or one-of-the-guys insiderism. It seemed like nobody else in the state was writing that way. But lately, at the same paper, Howard Troxler has been getting a less cool and stodgy and wonky and a little more passionate. Here, he presents the best all-around one-stop indictment of the 2002 Legislature I've seen. You go!
5/16/2002
Gov. Bush, when he's not pretending he's The Education Governor, likes to style himself as our first e-governor. Sadly, that takes more than wearing a Blackberry on your belt. His attempt to build a State Technology Office is an unmitigated disaster.
5/14/2002
Jeb! and the Republican leadership close the session with high-5s and boasts of increasing education spending. Except the increase over last year is more like 0.8 percent than 6 percent, more like $39 per student than $300 per student. (Warning: Palm Beach Post's site has been sluggish lately and their links sour after a couple weeks.)
5/12/2002
Jeb! and Co. take the low road. The idea of price-tags on constitutional amendments, stating with the one we don't like, is too clever by half.
Sometimes I wonder how much longer the straight-talking Mr. Littlepage is going to have a job at that Republican Party house organ known as the Florida Times Union. There's probably already an office pool.
Sometimes I wonder how much longer the straight-talking Mr. Littlepage is going to have a job at that Republican Party house organ known as the Florida Times Union. There's probably already an office pool.
5/10/2002
Rep. Jerry Melvin, oafish chairman of the "Lifelong Learning Council" talks about class size.
There's absolutely no study ... that says the class size makes any difference in student achievement. All it is is a program put out by the teachers union and a few of the socialists that just want to spend money.
There's absolutely no study ... that says the class size makes any difference in student achievement. All it is is a program put out by the teachers union and a few of the socialists that just want to spend money.
5/07/2002
Jeb! among the unbelievers: Speaking to teachers, Jeb! pretends to be the education governor This group isn't buying the goods.
"If we have an extra $260-million, and education is our top priority," the teacher asked Bush, "why isn't it going to schools?"
Real good question.
"If we have an extra $260-million, and education is our top priority," the teacher asked Bush, "why isn't it going to schools?"
Real good question.
5/06/2002
After two no-hassle purchases of used books from through Amazon, I'm now testing their A-to-Z Guarantee.
Bought from a guy with more than a 100 positive comments on his comments page. No book arrives after a month and the seller, who calls himself "Jack Roberts," cannot be contacted by e-mail. So I look at his comment page now and see that more than 200 angry buyers have posted complaints. Yet he still rates 3.5 stars on their seller's rating system.
Still no word on getting my money back. Caveat Emptor even with the big e-merchants.
Bought from a guy with more than a 100 positive comments on his comments page. No book arrives after a month and the seller, who calls himself "Jack Roberts," cannot be contacted by e-mail. So I look at his comment page now and see that more than 200 angry buyers have posted complaints. Yet he still rates 3.5 stars on their seller's rating system.
Still no word on getting my money back. Caveat Emptor even with the big e-merchants.
Welcome to JebWorld where nothing can go wrong ... go wrong ... go wrong .. go wrong
5/04/2002
Former Senate President Wubyah-dee indicted for Sunshine law law violations. He didn't learn a basic tenent of government -- even though it is meaningless in the Legislature, they actually enforce the Sunshine Law on local governments.
