Greetings from Misery: Cynthia Davis & Starving Children

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mcdavis
Here in Misery, we only care about unborn children. Once you’re birthed – preferably through a scheduled C-section – you’re on your own. Nowhere is that more apparent than in our state legislature where Cynthia Davis is chairperson for the House Special Committee on Children and Families. She thinks the summer program that gives out breakfast to poor children is a waste of taxpayer money and that “[H]unger can be a positive motivator.” Nice. I hate this place.

Here’s a Kansas City take on the whole thing. Plus, check out some videos here and here. You have to watch the Olberman clip all the way through to hear him bash Davis, but it’s worth it. Oh, and feel free to sign a petition to remove her from her chairmanship, because you never know when she might make that run for federal office.

Greetings from Misery: Too Much the Magic Bus

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My job is to train teachers how to best use computers in their classrooms. I train them in computer basics, webpage design, opperating SMART Boards, etc. My organization is a national leader in such professional development.

So, when a story concerning access to technology close to home comes across my Google Reader, I pay close attention.

Our rather creative city council thinks it might be a good idea to offer free wi-fi on city buses. Although there is a recession going on, some council members think free wi-fi is just the ticket to get more riders on city buses in order to raise the bus system’s revenue.

Now, I realize that none of you are all that familiar with the bus lines in Columbia, MO. What you should know is that it does not run very often or to very many parts of the town. I would ride the bus downtown almost daily if it stopped anywhere near my house – just over a mile away. That and the buses never run. I lived here for six months before I actually saw a bus.

Here’s an idea: Schedule the buses more often and to travel to more parts of town and maybe more people will use them…especially with a recession in effect.

Greetings from Misery: The Cave State

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Misery is known to many as “The Cave State.” There are reportedly 6000 caves discovered in MO with more found every day. However, there are other reasons we call her “The Cave State.” Misery is also a state which lives in the past and likes it that way.

$21 million are set to go to life science research in the state, a lot of money in such tough economic times. Typical of the backwards nature of our citizenry, there is a lawsuit to stop such funding because it could go to stem-cell research. Voters have already shown support for stem-cell research, but the pro-lifers in the state won’t have any part of it.

Other evidence that we’re still living in the stone age popped up with this year’s presidential election. Misery was once known as a bellweather state, voting with the rest of the country every year since 1904 (except in 1956). Now, having chosen John McCain over Barack Obama, that status is in question. Of course, had 3,700 of the 17,813 who voted for Ralph Nader (or 11,386 for Barr) switched to Obama, the state’s bellweather status would be intact. Voting for Nader is so 2000.

Greetings from Misery: The Show-Me State

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I was asked to contribute to this here blog and am very honored to do so. Since I am coming to you all from Misery (aka Missouri or Missouruh if you live south of I-70), I thought I’d share some fun facts about the state I’m in.

As many of you know, Misery is nicknamed the “Show-Me State” and for some very good reasons. Most Missourians prefer to remember that Congressman William Vandiver gave a speech in 1899 in which he proclaimed, “I come from a country that raises corn and cotton, cockle burs and Democrats, and frothy eloquence neither convinces nor satisfies me. I’m from Missouri, and you have got to show me.” That’s one story.

Of course, there is another story. The term “Show-Me” was originally used to describe Missouri laborers who were hired to counter a miners strike in Colorado. Apparently, the laborers were so dumb that they had to be shown how to do everything.

Apparently, Misery’s proud heritage as the Show-Me State is lost on our lame-duck governor, Matt Blunt. Blunt ordered staffers to delete important emails, defying the state’s public records laws. I’m sure there wasn’t anything important in those emails. I’m sure that it had nothing to do with Blunt’s odd decision not to run for reelection or anything.

Anyway, that’s where I live. Hopefully, I can show you all why I call this place Misery. Later.