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06-18-2010, 05:50 PM
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Dark Lord, on the Dark Throne
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Re: You can safely blame Texas
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lagnath
I'm not going to defend Joe Barton, or any other representative from my state. But this whole "oil cleanup account" is a big PR piece of crap.
BP has a metric crap load of money. They do about 4.5-6 billion in profit per quarter. They have something like 600 billion in total assets and had 30 billion in cash and liquid assets on hand. There is absolutely no point to this whole 'cleanup fund'. The money would get extracted from them regardless without this whole piece of crap.
Going after them to form this account is just politics, as is calling it a shakedown. It's just politicians trying to look useful in the face of a crisis that can't be immediately controlled.
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Nonsense. If you review the history of the Exxon Valdez spill, you'll find that oil company successfully tied up the court-ordered repayment with decades of appeals litigation. During those decades, the original penalty amount (I believe $6B) was allows to sit in Exxon's coffers, where it earned ordinary interest as well as return via investment income. By the time that Exxon had exhausted its appeals and was finally forced to pay, that money had earned something like twice the original penalty amount in interest and investment. Moreover, the value of the dollar had fallen, so that the $6B paid out was actually worth only a fraction of its initial buying power.
There is a reason for BP being forced to deposit money in this escrow fund. It's to prevent a repeat of the Exxon tactic described above.
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In the land of Mordor, where the shadows lie...
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10-08-2010, 09:07 PM
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I said it, so I feel it, dick
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Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Here
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Re: You can safely blame Texas
Texas School District Sues « News & Commentary
Quote:
In May, 2007, after learning that their son Chuka was not receiving the help he needed from the local school, Kenneth and Neka Chibuogwu filed a procedure called “due process” where a sort of education judge listens to all the evidence and decides the issue. But instead of seeking compromise, the school district launched a full-blown legal counterattack against the family
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School District Seeks to Bankrupt Disabled Student's Family
Quote:
Instead of seeking compromise, Alief launched a full-blown legal counterattack alleging the case was "improper" and that the Chibuogwus "harassed" district employees during meetings.
Drained and discouraged, Kenneth and Eka dropped their due process case and Chuka never returned to class.
The District sued the economically distressed parents of a special needs child for every penny of the district's legal expenses, an amount, at the time approaching $170,000 dollars and now estimated at close to a quarter million.
This past April after three long and expensive years of legal warfare a federal judge here in Houston issued his ruling. Alief I.S.D. was wrong and had no right under the law to collect legal expenses from Chuka's parents.
Instead of accepting the ruling, superintendent Stoerner and apparently the Alief School board have chosen to risk even more taxpayer dollars and appeal the ruling to the 5th Circuit.
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04-11-2011, 10:39 PM
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I said it, so I feel it, dick
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Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Here
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Re: You can safely blame Texas
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/...ata-leak_N.htm
Quote:
The personal information of about 3.5 million Texans — including addresses and Social Security numbers — was mistakenly posted on public servers controlled by the state comptroller's office and remained there for nearly a year or more before officials discovered the problem, the agency said Monday.
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ETA: lisarea gave me this so thank her for the info
Last edited by LadyShea; 04-11-2011 at 11:01 PM.
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04-12-2011, 12:04 AM
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professional left-winger
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Re: You can safely blame Texas
Two letters from that story link, a letter apart from each other:
Quote:
Believe me, no one will ever be held accountable in a Perry administration!
Security? This was all contracted a few years ago with orders from the legislature. Again in Perry's administration!
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and
Quote:
More gov't proficiency ! ! ! ! ! !
Well managed, competent, capable employees with excessive benefits and high pay doing less than satisfactory work ! ! !
Private industry would fire those misfits !
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it's got me wondering now, was it the fault of a private security firm, government employee grunt or management?
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05-12-2011, 01:38 PM
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Clutchenheimer
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Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Canada
Gender: Male
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Re: You can safely blame Texas
__________________
Your very presence is making me itchy.
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05-12-2011, 02:41 PM
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an angry unicorn or a non-murdering leprechaun
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Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Edge of Society
Gender: Female
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Re: You can safely blame Texas
I am kinda disappointed in Mother Jones. That article is really poorly written and easily misconstrued.
In Texas any publisher can bid a text book for possible approval. It is an open process of submission that takes all who hope to have the State purchase their books for the classroom. Just because it is being considered in the approval process does not mean that it is close to being adopted.
Shoot, peacegirl could submit Lessan's book for approval. Wouldn't mean that the BOE would be considering teaching that the eye is efferent.
for having a stupid publishing house attempting to sell it to
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05-12-2011, 03:20 PM
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simple country microbiologist hyperchicken
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Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: georgia
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Re: You can safely blame Texas
Isn't this a triumph of the free market. See in spite of the rigid control that the intelligentsia have on peer review and colleges, the market is trying to address the demand for bibles in our schools.
Yay free market.
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05-12-2011, 03:32 PM
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an angry unicorn or a non-murdering leprechaun
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Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Edge of Society
Gender: Female
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Re: You can safely blame Texas
If by "free market" you mean going through government bids, bureaucratic committee panels, open hearings, and eventually a report that offers a list of approved products ... then I guess so?
The review panels are notoriously bad at this moment in politics, as shown earlier in this thread. But Texas Freedom Network, and groups like them, who get involved with submitting their own work as well as those who take part in the open hearings also have a voice in what is ultimately decided. I like how transparent the process is, though I wish there was something to check and balance the bureaucracy in Texas. Weirdly, it is not part of the executive branch and is its own weird fourth estate.
Here is a run down of the process:
Quote:
Members of the state textbook review panels are charged with evaluating instructional materials to determine coverage of essential knowledge and skills and with identifying factual errors. At the close of the review period, panel members submit evaluations to the commissioner of education. Based on these evaluations, the commissioner prepares a preliminary report recommending that instructional materials be placed on the conforming list, be placed on the nonconforming list, or be rejected.
[BTW This E-Text is not on that list, which is why I thin the Mother Jones article is premature to say the least]
Texas residents are allowed to file written comments regarding instructional materials submitted for adoption. In addition, a public hearing is held before the SBOE approximately two months before scheduled adoption.
After consideration of evaluations submitted by state review panel members, information provided by publishers, and staff recommendations, the Commissioner of Education submits a final report to the SBOE recommending that instructional materials submitted be placed on the conforming list, placed on the nonconforming list, or rejected. A report detailing any factual errors to be corrected in instructional materials prior to delivery to school districts is also presented.
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TEA's Adoption Process.
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05-12-2011, 03:49 PM
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simple country microbiologist hyperchicken
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Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: georgia
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Re: You can safely blame Texas
I was just funnin on the free market. I think that without school boards and a bureaucratic process it would be worse.
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05-12-2011, 06:08 PM
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Clutchenheimer
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Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Canada
Gender: Male
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Re: You can safely blame Texas
Thanks for the clarification, Demi. I would bet on TFN's hearing some inside scoop about ex parte connections between SBOE members and the publishers. Having learned what happens once the wingnut contingent on the SBOE coalesces around some crazy decision, they may just be going with a preemptive spoiling attack.
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Your very presence is making me itchy.
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08-19-2011, 04:35 PM
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I said it, so I feel it, dick
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Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Here
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Re: You can safely blame Texas
PZ reports about more Texas school shenanigans, this time involving special treatment for athletes. The hell you say! Southern schools emphasizing football over academics??
Below is a memo allegedly sent to the teachers of a Texas high school, detailing how to ensure athletes stay eligible
Quote:
Teachers, please remember that we have over 1500 students involved in extracurricular activities who work very hard to have academic success as well as compete or stay connected to the school through their commitment to their organization or team. These students strive to do the right things and have adult coaches or sponsors who support you by working with any student who is not meeting your standards for conduct or academic success. The eligibility status of these students is very important to them, their parents, and to this campus. Please review six weeks grades of 68 and 69 to ensure that those grades accurately reflect student effort, test/assignment reliability and accuracy, and objectivity that can be explained. Please also remember that any student who you are going to allow to make up work or do additional work should be given an "I" instead of an assigned numerical grade.
From the UIL Side By Side Rules:
Q: Can a student's grade be changed for eligibility?
After a failing grade has been recorded, the situations in which a student's grade may be changed to passing and eligibility status restored are only as follows:
(a) an examination of course graded issued by a classroom teacher is final and may not be changed unless the grade is arbitrary, erroneous, or not consistent with school district grading policy as determined by the board of trustees. The board's decision may not be appealed. (This is also known as teacher or calculation error.)
(b) Extra credit work or work (including re-test) turned in after the grading period or evaluation has ended may not be considered when determining a student's eligibility for extracurricular activities except in the case of an "incomplete" grade.
Thank you for your support.
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When I looked for substantiation I found this
Quote:
Grade of Incomplete
A student with an Incomplete grade at the end of a grading period is ineligible at the end of the seven day grace period unless the Incomplete was replaced with a passing grade prior to the end of the seven day grace period.
Extra Credit Work
Extra credit work, or work (including re-test) turned in after the grading period or evaluation has ended MAY NOT BE CONSIDERED when determining a students eligibility for extracurricular activities except in the case of an Incomplete grade as noted above.
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So parts of the memo appear to match school policies in Texas. It looks like they are encouraging gaming the system by offering athletes an I(ncomplete) rather than the failing grade they may have earned, to allow them extra credit.
Last edited by LadyShea; 08-19-2011 at 05:09 PM.
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08-19-2011, 09:25 PM
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Admin of THIEVES and SLUGABEDS
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Re: You can safely blame Texas
I'd be amazed if that same manipulation (or the equivalent thereof) didn't happen in every state in the union, though.
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11-21-2011, 05:22 PM
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I said it, so I feel it, dick
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Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Here
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Re: You can safely blame Texas
Ingenious Texas is sending their unwanted pet wild boars into Mexico at night to destroy crops. That'll, um, somehow show them!
Quote:
"We must get rid of these European wild boars because they sleep overnight on US soil during the day and cross over to the Mexican side to feed," Ignacio Legarreta, a state official, told local media.
The boars of European origin, which were imported to Texas as pets and then replicated in the wild, have caused serious damage to the flora and fauna of the area, officials said. Source
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Who, besides Texans, would ever consider imported wild boars a great pet?
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11-21-2011, 05:29 PM
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Fishy mokey
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Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Furrin parts
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Re: You can safely blame Texas
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11-22-2011, 07:04 AM
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Quality Contributor
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Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Luxembourg
Gender: Male
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Re: You can safely blame Texas
Mission accomplished.
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06-19-2013, 05:11 AM
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Safety glasses off, motherfuckers
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Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Sarasota, FL
Gender: Bender
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Re: You can safely blame Texas
__________________
Cēterum cēnseō factiōnem Rēpūblicānam dēlendam esse īgnī ferrōque.
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06-19-2013, 05:37 AM
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NeoTillichian Hierophant & Partisan Hack
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Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Iowa
Gender: Male
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Re: You can safely blame Texas
Quote:
my lifelong spiritual/religious beliefs impose on me a duty of conscience
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That really does not read like something an atheist would write. It actually looks like she is claiming conscientious objector status on the grounds of religious belief. In such cases it has, to the best of my knowledge, been the practice to require evidence of one's membership in a church whose doctrine supports such a claim.
Where does the part about her being an atheist come from, other than the title of the article?
__________________
Old Pain In The Ass says: I am on a mission from God to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable; to bring faith to the doubtful and doubt to the faithful.
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06-19-2013, 10:54 AM
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Fishy mokey
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Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Furrin parts
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Re: You can safely blame Texas
Yeah, I thought that was weird too. The article is not as straightforward as the title, anyway.
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06-19-2013, 12:36 PM
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I said it, so I feel it, dick
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Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Here
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Re: You can safely blame Texas
Sounds like she simply is calling her personal values system and worldview a "spiritual/religious" belief to be in accordance with the law as written. Which the law's wording should be changed, IMO. What bullshit this is.
Any such person shall be required to take an oath … except that a person who shows by clear and
convincing evidence … that he is opposed to the bearing of arms in the Armed Forces of the
United States by reason of religious training and belief shall be [exempt from the relevant parts of
the oath]. The term “religious training and belief” as used in this section shall mean an
individual’ s belief in a relation to a Supreme Being involving duties superior to th ose arising
from any human relation, but does not include essentially political, sociological, or philosophical
views or a merely personal moral code.
But then SCOTUS interpreted it differently. Why not just change the damn words?
The Supreme Court examined the statutory construction of this exemption language nearly 50 years ago.
In United States v. Seeger, the Court looked at section 6(j) of the Universal Military Training and Service
Act. 380 U.S. 163 (1965). The Court specifically noted, the “ definition of ‘religious training and belief’
identical to that in s 6(j) is found in s 337 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, 6 6 Stat. 258, 8 U.S.C. s
1448(a).” Id. at n.3.
When interpreting this identical language, the Court held that the exemption test is not religious:
We recognize the difficulties that have always faced the trier of fact in these cases. We hope that
the test that we lay down proves less onerous. The examiner is furnished a standard that p ermits
consideration of criteria with which he has had considerable experience. While the applicant's
words may differ, the test is simple of application. It is essentially an objective one, namely, does
the claimed belief occupy the same place in the life of the objector as an orthodox belief in God
holds in the life of one clearly qualified for exemption? Id. at 183 - 84.
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12-16-2013, 07:33 PM
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Flyover Hillbilly
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Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Juggalonia
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Re: You can safely blame Texas
Three of the four Texas Lieutenant Governor hopefuls want old time, down home, country style creationism taught in public schools. The fourth is no doubt sucking big gay wangs and machete-butchering Christian babbies right this very second.
Teach the Controversy!
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"We can have democracy in this country, or we can have great wealth concentrated in the hands of a few, but we can't have both." ~ Louis D. Brandeis
"Psychos do not explode when sunlight hits them, I don't give a fuck how crazy they are." ~ S. Gecko
"What the fuck is a German muffin?" ~ R. Swanson
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02-03-2015, 03:15 AM
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Safety glasses off, motherfuckers
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Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Sarasota, FL
Gender: Bender
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Re: You can safely blame Texas
Proposed bill would allow teachers to shoot students, including "in defense of property". Nothing can possibly go wrong here.
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Cēterum cēnseō factiōnem Rēpūblicānam dēlendam esse īgnī ferrōque.
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02-03-2015, 08:41 PM
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NeoTillichian Hierophant & Partisan Hack
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Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Iowa
Gender: Male
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Re: You can safely blame Texas
This is a long-overdue solution to the problem of overcrowded classrooms.
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02-16-2015, 05:48 AM
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Safety glasses off, motherfuckers
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Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Sarasota, FL
Gender: Bender
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Re: You can safely blame Texas
Texas is about to execute someone who is almost certainly innocent. Again.
could also go in the death penalty thrad but this one was further up the list
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Cēterum cēnseō factiōnem Rēpūblicānam dēlendam esse īgnī ferrōque.
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09-16-2015, 01:17 PM
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I said it, so I feel it, dick
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Join Date: Jul 2004
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Re: You can safely blame Texas
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09-16-2015, 04:50 PM
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Mr. Condescending Dick Nose
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Join Date: May 2007
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Re: You can safely blame Texas
Quote:
James McClellan demonstrating the Irving Police Department's outstanding capacity for crass stupidity.
We attempted to question the juvenile abut what it was and he would simply only tell us it was a clock. He didn't offer any explanation as to what it was for ...
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__________________
... it's just an idea
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