When We Left Earth

My wife and I just finished When We Left Earth: The NASA Missions on Netflix.  What a history lesson! It was inspiring.  I haven't paid that much attention to what we have planned for future manned spaceflight.  It looks like we changed our direction recently.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Shuttle_program#Retirement

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Constellation
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Constellation#Debates_about_program

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-11518049

Here is a link to the Netflix page for the shows.  You will have to be logged in for it to work

The Threatened Demise of Religion in the Public Square

"from where I sit, the greatest challenge faced by the [LDS] Church is the challenge to religious liberty that is growing worldwide."  The Threatened Demise of Religion in the Public Square. Elder Lance B. Wickman, at J. Reuben Clark Law Society on 11 February 2010.

Limits of Federal Government Power

What are the limits to the powers of the Federal Government? In this clip, Pete Stark, House Representative from California's 13th district, says that it can do most anything in this country.

Thanks to DocMuscles for letting me know.

Proposition 100 Passes

Proposition 100 Passes

My first reaction was WOW. I could not believe that it passed by such a large margin. I kept going back and forth over this. I do believe that education can be a great equalizer. Equalizing opportunity for the rising generation.

I did vote no because I truly felt like it was best. I do believe that reform can cause more dollars to be spent in the classroom. I feel like we were going in the direction of bankrupt California. Not that this was going to be the last straw but that it was one of a thousand cuts to drain us financially.

Anyway, I accept what the voters have chosen. I am happy that it has a constitutional expiration date. It will be interesting to see if this really will be for only 3 years. I expect a campain in 3 years of "Yes on X, not a new tax" campaign. I hope we take this opportunity to reform education and make it more efficient.

Vote Tomorrow on Proposition 100, AZ Sale Tax Increase

Tomorrow we vote as a state whether or not we increase our state sales tax by 1% for a constitutionally limited 3 years. Regardless of how you vote, you should make an informed decision.

I have found some other information concerning Proposition 100 that we are voting on tomorrow. See also my previous post on Prop 100.

ABC 15 has a news piece about it. Click on "Governor Brewer, Byron Schlomach discuss Prop. 100" on this page. Following are some notes I took on the video.

0:00 - 0:20

ABC 15 News intro to story on Proposition 100

0:20 - 2:35 (2 min 15 sec)

Interview with Governor Jan Brewer who wants us to vote for Proposition 100

Stats from Jan Brewer:

2.2 billion cut out of the 1/3 we are able to cut

2/3 we are not able to cut because of mandate from voters and Federal government

2:35 - 3:25 (2 min 50 sec)

Some time spent on AZ Senate Bill 1070

3:25 - 5:25 (2 min 0 sec)

"Never voted for a tax increase" Jan Brewer

5:25 - 8:29 (2 min 56 sec)

Interview with Byron Slomac of The Goldwater Institute who wants us to vote no on Proposition 100

"1 billion dollars out of the private sector in to the public sector"

"We have nearly one non-teacher for every teacher in our schools right now"

I would like to see a graph or chart that shows what is in that mandated 2/3 of the budget and what is in the remaining third. The point about there being nearly 1 non-teacher for every teach also stood out to me.

I also found "Sales tax vote would solve only one-third of Arizona’s budget deficit" from the Tuscon Citizen.

An article from ASU's site seemed to indicate that the budget passed that includes the sales tax increase accounts for the other 2 billion in shortfall. ("Arizona's Budget Crisis: How Did We Get Here and Where Are We Going?" from ASU's W. P. Carey school)

This new information has not changed my vote. I am still planning to vote no tomorrow.