The Sun lets loose a HUGE explosion
And here's a related story..
Scientists predict rare 'hibernation' of sunspots
A brief introduction to infinity (not brief)
Headline of the year
Ghostbusters Firehouse Being Put Out Of Business, Womp Womp
and lastly, a silly bacon thing..
http://www.threadless.com/subm...
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Good stuff! I want that firehouse Trending
Of course, this was a midnight vote, because doing this sort of evil is always best done during the witching hour.
Let's see? What kind of damage did the wingnutz do here in NC?
Highlights of the $19.7 billion budget for North Carolina state government for the 2011-12 fiscal year tentatively given final approval Saturday by the state House. The monetary figures reflect increases or reductions to base budget expenses, some of them based on projected increases in recurring spending. For tax changes, figures are for the amount of revenue generated or lost. K-12 SCHOOLS - require $124.2 million in additional savings as determined by local school districts, spread out from among the 115 districts. - fund 1,124 additional teaching positions in grades 1-3 to reduce class size funding ratio from 1-to-18 to 1-to-17. - spend $200,000 to study third grade literacy programs and ways to reduce remedial or developmental education at university and community college campuses. - eliminate funds for Dropout Prevention Grant program, saving $13.3 million. - reduce funding for new textbooks, saving $92.2 million. - eliminate funds for student diagnostic pilot program, saving $10 million. - reduces instructional supplies funding allotment to districts by 46 percent, or $42 million. - reduce by 15 percent, or $59.5 million, state funding allotment to pay for school janitors, clerical staff and other personnel. - reduce funding allotment for central staff in local school districts by 16 percent, or $17.2 million. - reduce by $22.2 million, or 19 percent, funds to pay for assistant principals. - reduce funds for instructional support for guidance counselors, social workers and media specialists by 5 percent, or $22.9 million. - eliminate mentoring funds for school districts, or $9.2 million. - eliminate staff development funds for school districts, or $12.6 million. - reduce by 20 percent, or $16 million, in funding for the More at Four prekindergarten program and transfer the program to the Department of Health and Human Services. - eliminate state funding for the Teacher Academy and reduce state funding for the North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching, both teacher professional development services, saving $7.8 million. - eliminate operating budget for residential schools for the deaf and the blind by about 5 percent and funding for superintendent of residential schools, saving $1.7 million. COMMUNITY COLLEGES - give $34.1 million to fully fund projected enrollment growth of 3,672 full-time equivalent students for next fall. - require $50.8 million in additional savings through the community college system. - increase tuition by $10 per credit hour to $66.50 for residents and $258.50 for nonresidents, saving $47.7 million. - reduce funds for basic skills education by 12.4 percent, or $10 million. - reduces customized training budget by $7.6 million on one-time basis. - save $1.3 million to eliminate 19 positions in state community college system office. UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA SYSTEM - give $46.8 million to fund fully necessary expenses (Is "fully necessary" the new "truly needy?") for projected overall enrollment of additional 2,337 students. - require $414 million in additional savings throughout the UNC system, at the discretion of administrators. - reduce the state subsidy to UNC Hospitals by 59 percent, or $26 million. (Who is supposed to fill that 59% budget hole? What is that going to look like when those budget cuts hit?) JUSTICE AND PUBLIC SAFETY - eliminate 195 full-time positions in judicial system already made vacant through voluntary reduction in force, saving $13 million. - implement hiring freeze for 35 additional vacancies of clerks, assistant district attorneys and other positions to save $1.7 million. - reduce 55 support staff positions for district attorneys to save $2.6 million. - eliminate $1.1 million for nonprofit mediation centers. - eliminate 19 vacant magistrate positions to save $826,000. - eliminate all state funding for drug treatment court program to save $2 million and 32 jobs. - eliminate Sentencing Services program to save $2.1 million and 11 positions. - eliminate 40 vacant positions in the Department of Justice, saving $2.5 million. - reduce funding to hire private lawyers for indigent defendants by $10.5 million. - eliminate 34 executive level positions within correction, crime control and juvenile justice departments as part of consolidation of agencies into new Department of Public Safety. - eliminate 21 staff psychologists, housing unit supervisor and youth counselor technicians in juvenile justice system, saving $1.1 million. - eliminate $3.2 million and 57 positions at Samarkand Youth Development Center in Moore County. - reduce various operating expenses for computers, equipment, motor vehicles, inmate clothes and other items to save $7 million. - eliminate 255 vacant positions in Department of Correction to save $14.1 million. - reward prisoners with shorter sentences for positive conduct and good behavior while still requiring prisoners to serve at least their minimum sentence, saving $2.5 million. - eliminate 25 state-paid chaplains at prisons to save $1.4 million. - end community work crews whereby prisoners could work on local government projects, eliminating 39 positions and saving $1.6 million. - eliminate 39 Correction officer positions associated with inmate litter crews, saving $1.6 million. - close four minimum security prisons as part of criminal justice reforms that will shift more misdemeanants to county jails, saving $5.4 million and 203 positions. - eliminate funding for two private contractors for drug and alcohol abuse treatment beds for minimum custody offenders to save $5.2 million. - reorganize State Capitol Police by focusing on security in and around state-owned Wake County buildings to save $2.3 million and 40 positions. RESERVES, FEES AND TAX CREDITS - increase by $248.1 million contributions to the retirement system for state employee and other public workers and emergency responders. - spend $7.1 million to continue health benefits coverage for active and retired employees in the State Health Plan. - reduce by $12 million the Job Development Incentive Grants reserve. - PROVIDE NO PAY INCREASES FOR STATE EMPLOYEES AND PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS. - generate more than $100 million in various fees, of which about one-third would go to counties if separate criminal justice reforms are approved. __ Source: Senate Appropriations Committee Report on the Continuation, Expansion, and Capital Budgets for proposed budget bill.
- fund 1,124 additional teaching positions in grades 1-3 to reduce class size funding ratio from 1-to-18 to 1-to-17.
- spend $200,000 to study third grade literacy programs and ways to reduce remedial or developmental education at university and community college campuses.
- eliminate funds for Dropout Prevention Grant program, saving $13.3 million.
- reduce funding for new textbooks, saving $92.2 million.
- eliminate funds for student diagnostic pilot program, saving $10 million.
- reduces instructional supplies funding allotment to districts by 46 percent, or $42 million.
- reduce by 15 percent, or $59.5 million, state funding allotment to pay for school janitors, clerical staff and other personnel.
- reduce funding allotment for central staff in local school districts by 16 percent, or $17.2 million. - reduce by $22.2 million, or 19 percent, funds to pay for assistant principals.
- reduce funds for instructional support for guidance counselors, social workers and media specialists by 5 percent, or $22.9 million.
- eliminate mentoring funds for school districts, or $9.2 million.
- eliminate staff development funds for school districts, or $12.6 million.
- reduce by 20 percent, or $16 million, in funding for the More at Four prekindergarten program and transfer the program to the Department of Health and Human Services.
- eliminate state funding for the Teacher Academy and reduce state funding for the North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching, both teacher professional development services, saving $7.8 million.
- eliminate operating budget for residential schools for the deaf and the blind by about 5 percent and funding for superintendent of residential schools, saving $1.7 million.
COMMUNITY COLLEGES - give $34.1 million to fully fund projected enrollment growth of 3,672 full-time equivalent students for next fall.
- require $50.8 million in additional savings through the community college system.
- increase tuition by $10 per credit hour to $66.50 for residents and $258.50 for nonresidents, saving $47.7 million.
- reduce funds for basic skills education by 12.4 percent, or $10 million.
- reduces customized training budget by $7.6 million on one-time basis.
- save $1.3 million to eliminate 19 positions in state community college system office.
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA SYSTEM - give $46.8 million to fund fully necessary expenses (Is "fully necessary" the new "truly needy?") for projected overall enrollment of additional 2,337 students.
- require $414 million in additional savings throughout the UNC system, at the discretion of administrators.
- reduce the state subsidy to UNC Hospitals by 59 percent, or $26 million. (Who is supposed to fill that 59% budget hole? What is that going to look like when those budget cuts hit?)
JUSTICE AND PUBLIC SAFETY - eliminate 195 full-time positions in judicial system already made vacant through voluntary reduction in force, saving $13 million.
- implement hiring freeze for 35 additional vacancies of clerks, assistant district attorneys and other positions to save $1.7 million.
- reduce 55 support staff positions for district attorneys to save $2.6 million.
- eliminate $1.1 million for nonprofit mediation centers.
- eliminate 19 vacant magistrate positions to save $826,000.
- eliminate all state funding for drug treatment court program to save $2 million and 32 jobs.
- eliminate Sentencing Services program to save $2.1 million and 11 positions.
- eliminate 40 vacant positions in the Department of Justice, saving $2.5 million.
- reduce funding to hire private lawyers for indigent defendants by $10.5 million.
- eliminate 34 executive level positions within correction, crime control and juvenile justice departments as part of consolidation of agencies into new Department of Public Safety.
- eliminate 21 staff psychologists, housing unit supervisor and youth counselor technicians in juvenile justice system, saving $1.1 million.
- eliminate $3.2 million and 57 positions at Samarkand Youth Development Center in Moore County.
- reduce various operating expenses for computers, equipment, motor vehicles, inmate clothes and other items to save $7 million.
- eliminate 255 vacant positions in Department of Correction to save $14.1 million.
- reward prisoners with shorter sentences for positive conduct and good behavior while still requiring prisoners to serve at least their minimum sentence, saving $2.5 million.
- eliminate 25 state-paid chaplains at prisons to save $1.4 million.
- end community work crews whereby prisoners could work on local government projects, eliminating 39 positions and saving $1.6 million.
- eliminate 39 Correction officer positions associated with inmate litter crews, saving $1.6 million.
- close four minimum security prisons as part of criminal justice reforms that will shift more misdemeanants to county jails, saving $5.4 million and 203 positions.
- eliminate funding for two private contractors for drug and alcohol abuse treatment beds for minimum custody offenders to save $5.2 million.
- reorganize State Capitol Police by focusing on security in and around state-owned Wake County buildings to save $2.3 million and 40 positions.
RESERVES, FEES AND TAX CREDITS - increase by $248.1 million contributions to the retirement system for state employee and other public workers and emergency responders.
- spend $7.1 million to continue health benefits coverage for active and retired employees in the State Health Plan.
- reduce by $12 million the Job Development Incentive Grants reserve.
- PROVIDE NO PAY INCREASES FOR STATE EMPLOYEES AND PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS.
- generate more than $100 million in various fees, of which about one-third would go to counties if separate criminal justice reforms are approved. __ Source: Senate Appropriations Committee Report on the Continuation, Expansion, and Capital Budgets for proposed budget bill.
That of course, just scratches the surface of the pain that is being inflicted on the people of NC. Governor Perdue had this to say.
Tonight, the Republican-controlled legislature turned its back on North Carolina's long-standing commitment to our people to provide quality schools, community colleges and universities - all to save a penny. I vetoed the Republican General Assembly's budget because I believe it will cause generational damage to this state. We must have a highly trained workforce for our state to be globally competitive, and that education begins in preschool classrooms and continues all the way through our community colleges and universities. They are all equally important. This budget is shortsighted and irresponsible. It cuts a full half billion dollars more out of education than I proposed in my budget. It not only damages our education system but also hurts public safety, our environment and our ability to care for those who need us most. Tonight the General Assembly may have undermined our schools, community colleges and universities. Tonight they may have cut our pre-k programs and turned our education system backwards. But tomorrow, the citizens of North Carolina and I will resume the fight for what we believe in - that education must be the one priority we never turn our backs on.
This budget is shortsighted and irresponsible. It cuts a full half billion dollars more out of education than I proposed in my budget. It not only damages our education system but also hurts public safety, our environment and our ability to care for those who need us most.
Tonight the General Assembly may have undermined our schools, community colleges and universities. Tonight they may have cut our pre-k programs and turned our education system backwards.
But tomorrow, the citizens of North Carolina and I will resume the fight for what we believe in - that education must be the one priority we never turn our backs on.
They really are trying to destroy this country. On purpose. Trending
Wondering if there were cuts to Leg's staff budgets. T-L SOTB
Teenage girls from London?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-1... T-L SOTB
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/worl...
Two days ago..DiFi, Schumer Sheldon....
March http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/worl...
January http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/worl...
Previously.....MuslimBama, LesboHillary , and Ban Ki Mao want to take away your guns 999999999999999911111111111111111111 T-L SOTB
White House sees no need for congressional approval on Libya
some Republicans are calling for an end to individual and corporate tax deductions.
really, huminmhuminhumihmaammiuhammmainahuminah... T-L SOTB
