I’m a political junkie so I’m looking forward to MSNBC’s profiles of Gov. Romney and President Obama. They will be even more fascinating considering that Gov. Romney has actually been interviewed for the piece, while President Obama declined MSNBC’s invitation, according to Politico.com.
Candidate policy views can be found at:
Read full article » No Comments »If you get a knock on your door in Orange County, an “ambassador” representing county government will “educate” you about recycling laws. Right now the county is seeking volunteers in neighborhoods heavily populated by returning students. Below, the county’s staffer in charge describes the activity. According to this county chart, residents were charged nearly $3.8 million in what’s called the “3R Fee” in Fiscal Year 2009-2010. The mandatory fee — for me it’s about $75 per year — is added to my property tax bill.
Volunteers will go door to door with fliers and explain to students how to keep the streets clean. This is the third year that public works has helped run this program and Williman says it’s had a palpable effect.
“We’ve definitely seen a difference not just in keeping our streets clean but also in increasing recycling,” she says. “The feedback I’ve received from residents is really positive. They like seeing their government in action. It’s a great way to touch the people that use out services.”
From CNN comes the story of a fascinating First Amendment case.
A Virginia sheriff’s deputy has been fired for liking his boss’s political opponent — on Facebook.
Now Daniel Ray Carter Jr. is fighting back in court, arguing that a “like” should be protected by his First Amendment right to free speech. It’s a case that could settle a significant question at a time when hundreds of millions of people express themselves on Facebook, sometimes merging their personal, professional and political lives in the process.
So far, a judge has ruled the “like” is NOT protected free speech.
Read full article » 1 Comment »“Liking a Facebook page is insufficient speech to merit constitutional protection,” Judge Judge Raymond A. Jackson wrote in his May ruling, because it doesn’t “involve actual statements.”
JLF’s Terry Stoops pointed out last week that this database shows school districts across North Carolina have all sorts of open education positions, including teachers. So much for the gnashing of teeth by progressives and allied pro-tax hike groups over what they claimed would be catastrophic numbers of teachers in the unemployment line. Now the News & Observer weighs in with this story detailing that, indeed, the sky has not fallen.
A statewide survey last fall of nearly all of the state’s 115 school districts found the equivalent of 6,383 positions, most of them vacant, were lost ahead of the 2011-12 school year. Of those positions, 534 teachers and 1,260 teaching assistants were actually laid off from jobs they held, according to the Department of Public Instruction. Another 627 pre-kindergarten teachers, teacher assistants, principals, and office workers also suffered layoffs. Some were later rehired as some districts received more money in line with an increase in students.
Last year’s layoffs are comparable to the 2,367 education layoffs in 2009-10, when Democrats controlled the General Assembly and budget-writing, according to the DPI survey.
