We have too many issues decided by initiatives in this state, but that is the only way we can stop the criminal conspiracy that the legislature has become from pulling stunts like this.

The Miami Herald reports that a Florida House panel OK’s oil drilling bill

TALLAHASSEE — In a full-barreled appeal to the House Policy Council, the oil and gas industry persuaded lawmakers to vote, 17-6, along party lines Tuesday for a bill that opens state waters to exploration and taps into new revenues for the state’s ailing budget.

The council approved an amendment by Rep. Dean Cannon, R-Orlando, that would lift Florida’s ban on oil drilling in state waters and replace it with a plan to allow the governor and Florida Cabinet to seek bidders for exploration and drilling in the Gulf of Mexico between three and 10 miles offshore.

There are no revenues for years, if ever, and the construction off the coast will destroy the value of beach homeowners and the tourism industry. The Republicans don’t want to put the state on a real, sustainable tax system, but keep looking for “silver bullets” and other ways of funding the programs they approve of without having to give up on all of their give-aways to business interests.

Drilling for oil is a source of pollution. There is no environmentally sensitive way of doing it, and we are moving away from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources. This is another get-rich-quick scheme from a group of people too lazy to do their jobs.

The Supreme Court made an uncharacteristic decision: Justices limit car searches without warrant

Justice John Paul Stevens said in the majority opinion that warrantless searches still may be conducted if a car’s passenger compartment is within reach of a suspect who has been removed from the vehicle or there is reason to believe evidence will be found of the crime that led to the arrest.
…

The justices divided in an unusual fashion. Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Antonin Scalia, David Souter and Clarence Thomas joined the majority opinion. Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Stephen Breyer and Anthony Kennedy were in dissent along with Alito.

What they have done is gone back to the rule that was applied back in the 1970s for a “search incidental to arrest”, rather than the much more expansive searches allowed under the Rehnquist Court. Having Scalia and Thomas join the majority would seem to indicate that they are nervous about expanding police powers when Democrats are in power.

The rule I followed was always get a warrant if possible, because that eliminated any problems at trial. In the particular case that was decided, it was a loser from the beginning, because the actual arrest was for a traffic offense, and the search took place after the suspect was already in custody in the back of the patrol car. There was zero justification for a search of the vehicle.

Only 30 hours late due to an “anomoly” the NWFDN reports F-35 lands at Eglin, and includes the important part:

Sound level meters on the ground registered about 107 dB as an F-35 and an F-16 flew overhead. That compares to between 76 and 86 dB recorded from the curb of Racetrack Road during traffic.

Kudos to the newspaper for not only taking a sound meter with them for the arrival, but providing a standard point of comparison.

Lest anyone believe that we are running out of whackos down here, the Local Puppy Trainer has another candidate for Countdown: Obama sign pops up on Hollywood Boulevard

FORT WALTON BEACH —- Richard Tona said the two signs he’s posted in front of Tona Auto & Collision Center on Hollywood Boulevard aren’t meant to attack President Barack Obama, rather, it’s to inform residents about where their tax money is going.

“I think a lot of taxpayers don’t know,” Tona said. “It’s a matter of standing up for what is right and speaking up about it.”

The larger sign states “$789 billion stimulus. Killing human embryos.”

Tona said he’s just “repeating what’s happening in the White House.”

These signs have better spelling and typography, and the same distortions.  Rest assured that Mr. Tona has more than a few “fish” slapped on his vehicles and property.

Once again with feeling: George W. Bush was President when the bank bailout was passed by Congress with the approval of the Republican candidate for President, John McCain. The need for the stimulus package is because the George W. Bush administration didn’t regulate the financial institutions, and didn’t investigate the crimes they were committing. The current depression belongs to the George W. Bush administration which took the surplus of their first year and plunged the nation into massive deficit spending by launching needless wars against people who were absolutely no threat to the United States, while not pursuing the people who had attacked the United States on 9/11/2001.

A lot of people have noticed Charles Pierce’s contribution to Eric Alterman’s last Slacker Friday post.

I first saw it at Lambert’s, who saw it at Avedon’s who first saw it at Patrick’s, but Susie’s version is the most readable.

I’ll let Charlie bring the band, but I’ll just take up knitting, it’s more traditional.

Just moving on doesn’t solve anything.  If there is no punishment, it will continue to occur.  There is no point in having laws, if you aren’t going to enforce them.  Throwing inner-city kids in prison for using drugs, while letting white collar monsters who orchestrate the assault and death of innocent people is not the hallmark of a good nation, much less one that claims to be great and a world leader.

She’s the only planet we have, if we blow it, we can’t pack up and move.

Wikipedia as a brief Earth Day entry, but links to other sites.