Just plain ornery...

It looks like the ban on smoking in public buildings in Idaho will survive another year. Many legislators were uncomfortable with the thought of repeating the craziness of last years debate on the issue. That, of course, does not mean that the craziness has been reduced this year. Rep. Peter Nielsen (R-Mountain Home) said yesterday:

"I'm still concerned that we've got 18 to 19 percent of the people chased outside. If I was one of them [smokers], I'd think the rest of you people were plain ornery."

It wouldn't be a legislative session without the memorable and silly quotes....or am I just being ornery?

Hell (and what to do about it...)

Well, unlike my friend Sonik, I am going to hell:

The Dante's Inferno Test has banished Slingshizzle to the Sixth Level of Hell - The City of Dis!
Here is how Slingshizzle matched up against all the levels:

Level	Score
Purgatory (Repenting Believers)	Very Low
Level 1 - Limbo (Virtuous Non-Believers)	Very High
Level 2 (Lustful)	High
Level 3 (Gluttonous)	Moderate
Level 4 (Prodigal and Avaricious)	Very Low
Level 5 (Wrathful and Gloomy)	Low
Level 6 - The City of Dis (Heretics)	Very High
Level 7 (Violent)	Moderate
Level 8- the Malebolge (Fraudulent, Malicious, Panderers)	Moderate
Level 9 - Cocytus (Treacherous)	Low

Take the Dante's Inferno Hell Test

I couldn't just go to Limbo...oh no no no...

Idiocy...plain and simple

The student governments of Idaho State University and Lewis Clark State College have filed a lawsuit against the Idaho State Board of Education (SBOE) challenging the legality of student fees vs. tuition. On the matter, ISU student body president Terry Fredrickson, said

"The State Board of Education has been playing this shell game for quite a while. After 15 straight years of unchecked student fee increases, we're left with no other recourse."

First, I agree with President Fredrickson that a shell game has been occurring for 20 years regarding student fees. For those of you who don't know to what shell game he is referring, here is a brief overview:

the Idaho Constitution prohibits charging residents for college tuition. But in 1986, lawmakers defined tuition as the cost of student instruction and let colleges and universities charge "matriculation fees" to pay institutional expenses.

However, if you look at the balance sheet, the state does not provide enough funding to cover all the expenses necessary so more state money is taken out of institutional expenses and spent on instruction. Although resident students are not technically paying for their instruction, they do through other avenues (like institutional expenses).

Secondly however, President Fredrickson is an idiot when he says "we're left with no other recourse." Their lawsuit is only asking for an injunction to stop the SBOE from setting matriculation fees. If that is accomplished, university presidents (with or without the involvement of students) will most likely set their own fees. On top of that, it will only increase the likelihood that the legislature, or the SBOE, will allow for tuition at ISU and LCSC, which neither student government wants. Brilliant.

And now, for the Slingshizzle "What their lawsuit should have done if they weren’t idiots" alternative:

The lawsuit should have asked for damages from the State Board of Education and the State of Idaho in the amount of $100 million in compensation of back student fee costs.

If awarded that money, The plaintiffs should have placed the money in a scholarship account for future resident students to off-set the rising cost of student fees.

But hey, that's just me...

Candidate Dirk...not

A quick breaking news update tonight:

Governor Dirk Kempthorne will not run for re-election in 2006. Quite humorously, that announcement received the longest and loudest applause of the State of the State address.

More on the State of the State address tomorrow...

1st of the 58th

Well, the First Regular Session of the 58th Idaho Legislature begins today. To that I say...*yawn*.

If you want to keep track of what our "citizen legislators" are up to, you can visit the official legislature website which is included in my links on the right side of this page (->) or through the Idaho Statesman's Legislative page also on the right side of this page (->) or through the IPTV Idaho Reports page also on the right side of this page (->).

In addition, tonight at 6:00pm local time, Governor Dirk Kempthorne will deliver his State of the State address. I will be back tomorrow to remark on his words, and to gear up for the craziness that is Idaho legislative politics.

I hope they can top the previous years’ great legislative topics:

● Trying to constitutionally banning the already illegal act of gay marriage

● Placing a 10 Commandments monument in the capitol building using state money (according to State Senator Gary Sweet R-Meridian, it’s not a religious issue, but the responsibility of elected representatives to uphold the laws of Almighty God)

● Cutting funding for higher education while passing tax cuts for the wealthy then passing a regressive sales tax increase that effects the poorest among us the most…then wanting to stay in office just to sunset the sales tax increase (hurting higher education even more)

● Explaining that is was “Communist” to make kindergarten compulsory for Idaho children

● Demonstrating your commitment to “No Un-funded Mandates” by passing an un-funded faculty/staff salary increase on to Idaho colleges and universities

● Asking “Why should we spend more tax dollars for higher education?” “Students will make up the difference as always”

(in case you were wondering, these examples came from the very first the 3rd cent post back on April 1st.)

New Year

Happy New Year everyone. It's been a while since my last post and today is a fitting day for my first post of 2005.

The 109th Congress was gaveled into session this morning. The entire House was sworn into office at the same time live on C-SPAN as I watched:

After congratulating each other and mentioning how both Republicans and Democrats share the same values and commitment to the United States, the house fell into partisan debate over changes to House ethics rules and procedural rules. Let the fun begin!

One Nation, Under God, with congress guarded by this dude:

(doesn't the sunglasses and short-sleeve shirt in January make him look cool?)

Now that Congress is back in session and the Idaho Legislature kicks off in a few days, and with Inaguration Day only 16 days away, I'm sure I will have plenty of fodder to keep the pixels of the 3rd cent busy all 2005 long...