Happy December and Happy Hannukah to our Jewish friends. Today ushers in the first really cold weather. The big blast is supposed to last through the weekend. How is that Christmas shopping going? Are you all doing it on line or braving the elements and the masses?
From Robley Jones, GR &R, VEA:
The public perception is that education should be in no trouble because we are showered with lottery funds. Check out this news story on TV3 in Hampton Roads:
To put the lottery proceeds for education on perspective, State General Fund Aid to Education in FY 2012 will be $4.9 billion. The lottery proceeds for education in that year will be $435.2 million.
This money is not “bonus money” for our schools. It is used to fund ongoing programs, so the lottery is, in effect, just another tax to fund essential programs. If we did not have a lottery, these programs would need to be funded from the General Fund and a new revenue source would be needed.
Here is how the Lottery proceeds are being used in FY 2011:Lottery Proceeds Programs FY 2011
Foster Care $12,896,417
At-Risk $63,801,568
Virginia Preschool Initiative $67,607,769
Early Reading Intervention $14,720,585
Mentor Teacher $1,000,000
K-3 Primary Class Size $73,229,929
School Breakfast Program $2,687,265
SOL Algebra Readiness $9,018,272
Alternative Education $6,729,485
ISAEP $2,247,581
Special Education – Regional Tuition $75,141,153
Vocational Education – Categorical $10,400,829
No Child Left Behind/Education for a Lifetime $4,749,675
Project Graduation $2,774,478
Supplemental Basic Aid $938,311
Remedial Summer School $25,064,692
English as a Second Language $37,272,009
Textbooks (split funded) $24,919,982
Total $435,200,000
According to the Christian Science Monitor, 5 food scares rattled America and the Food and Drug Administration. Here are the 5 most highly profiled food scares:
eggs (August 2010), peanuts (December 2009), Spinach (August 2007), lettuce (October 2006), and beef (February 2008)
The one piece of legislation that seems to have bipartisan support has hit a snafu reported by foodsafetynews.com :
A serious constitutional snafu is threatening to derail pending food safety legislation, which passed the Senate by a 3-1 margin early Tuesday.
The FDA Food Safety Modernization Act, S. 510, would be the most significant update of food safety laws in over seven decades, but it has become clear that the Senate made a potentially critical error by including a provision that would allow the FDA to impose fees on importers, and on companies whose food is recalled because of contamination.
Article 1, Section 7 of the U.S. Constitution says all revenue-raising measures must originate in the House. This error will almost certainly mean that the legislation will have to be reconsidered in the Senate, a major setback considering the precious floor time it could take to jump though the necessary procedural hoops: namely circumventing Sen. Tom Coburn’s (R-OK) filibuster threat.The way forward for the beleaguered legislation–which seemed to catch a big break with its 73-25 passage in the Senate this week–remains highly uncertain.
| The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | Mon – Thurs 11p / 10c | |||
| The Food, the Bad and the Ugly | ||||
|
||||
Hopefully the kinks can be ironed out of this legislation and S. 510 can move forward.
This afternoon, NASA will have a major announcement. Naturally people are speculating that they are going to announce evidence of alien life. Other speculation is that there are 3 times as many stars as previously thought.
I think they are going to tell us that the moon landings were a hoax, just like all the rednecks used to say and that NASA and NBC planned the hoax. Just kidding, just kidding!
Would it be good news or bad news if alien life were discovered? I am not so arrogant to think that we are the only beings out there capable of human-type thought. However, I am not so sure I want them here.
As more and more information has been released from the American vaults of secrecy, who knows what has been discovered or what will be released.
On Tuesday, Chris Dodd gave his farewell address to the Senate. He retires after 30 years in the Senate. He was elected to the House of Representatives in 1974 and the Senate in 1980. Senator Dodd has left a legacy of legislation.
Perhaps his greatest contribution to improving American lives was the FMLA Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, signed into law by President Bill Clinton. To date, over 50 million Americans have taken leave to care for a sick child, spouse, parent, knowing that they would have a job to return to. Mothers have been able to take the necessary time off after giving birth or adopting a child.
As I listened to Senator Dodd’s farewell address, I thought of the advice in his wise words. He spoke of the Senate, the expectations of the Founding Fathers, and the collegiality that was necessary to get the job done. Listen for yourself:
I would ask that if people have negative, political comments, please keep them to yourself.
Chris Dodd’s advise to the Senate and really, to all legislators comes at a crucial time in our history as a nation. It could bode well for America to heed his advice. Our legislators need to relearn the art of working together towards a common goal.
Thanks for your service, Senator Dodd. Enjoy your retirement and smooth sailing in all your new endeavors.
