Mideast Assembly Thread

[Badger]

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How come that last paragraph is there?

That's not part of the bill, but rather an explanation for the second sentence of the bill.

Yes but the way it's written makes me think it's part of the bill.

It's not. I promise. :-)

[Badger]

Aye.

Finals time is getting a lot of people, methinks.

[Badger]

Oh, forgot that.

Though Badger still did vote.

My bad. I read Fab's post too quickly, saw the AYE in there, and chaos ensued.

Mr. Speaker? We're all set here.....

[Badger]

*bump*

Still nothing from Swedish Cheese.

By the way I intend to introduce some legislation by the time we are done with this one.

This is very unlike him. Hope it's just a case of finalsitis and not anything more serious.

Still no word from Gio either?

[Badger]

Aye.

Good to see you back, Mr. Speaker. :-) Was your absence the last week a case of finals?

[Badger]

Is it this bill that we are voting on?

If so, aye.

It is. And just to reiterate in case it was forgotten since this vote started, I voted "Aye".

[Badger]

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  Nay


The amendment pass. Inks you know what to do.
 

Guys I'm sorry that I've been slightly unactive here the last week, due to doing other things. It'll get better once Christmas break starts next week. Hopefully by then we will have a complete Assembly, with Gio being back and Inks having appointed someone to replace the newly elected Senator, so that we all can pull together and start working properly once more.    

The begining of this session has been rather messy, but I'm sure we can turn it back on track again.  

Gio's back? I thought we still hadn't had any word from him.

[Badger]

I propose the following bill to the Assembly:

Stricter Dog Fighting Policy Bill

Section I: It shall be illegal for any person to attend dog fighting events anywhere the Mideast Region. Anyone who’s caught attending a dog fight will be sentenced to a maximum fine of 600 dollars.
Section II: All fines collected from people breaking this law will be used to sponsor the construction and operation of special dog centres, designed to house and rehabilitate confiscated fight dogs, in co-operation with several animal right’s organisations.

I support this.

[Badger]

I am introducing a bill I think is long needed by now:

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Judging from the NE Assembly's use of such a board, this is a good idea.

[Badger]

Stricter Dog Fighting Policy Bill

Section I: It shall be illegal for any person to attend dog fighting events anywhere the Mideast Region. Anyone who’s caught attending a dog fight will be sentenced to a maximum fine of 600 dollars.
Section II: All fines collected from people breaking this law will be used to sponsor the construction and operation of special dog centres, designed to house and rehabilitate confiscated fight dogs, in co-operation with several animal right’s organisations.

Since there has been no further debate on this bill for over 24 hours, I call for a vote.

AYE.

[Badger]

  Abstain


The bill fails.

So shall we recess from 23rd December to 2 January? I won't be here 23-26 and Josh not 28-2, so we probably won't have a full Assembly during that period anyway.

Aye, ftr.

That was a quick vote! I spend one evening off the Forum......

[Badger]

Yes, we might as well recess. 

Agreed. Do you wish to set a date for reconvening, Mr. Speaker? Better to do so than leaving it open-ended.

FWIW, perhaps reconvening between Xmas and Ney Years? We'll all have some down time after Christmas and plenty of web surfing time in the intervening week I suspect.

[Badger]

Forgot to mention as been so busy last few days: Good luck guys and it's been an honor serving in this Chamber. Under Swedish Cheese's leadership I know things you guys can accomplish good things together.

<back to waiting on jury verdict>

[Badger]

I'd just like to say that the Pacific is glad to know we have a friend in the Mideast Region.

Lots of them, actually.

Liberalism, conservatism, libertarianism and other ideologies aside: All Atlasians unite when one group attempts secession and civil war.

Actually, I think the SE is just still pissed they lost the last Civil War.

[Badger]

Aye

I'd just like to say that the Pacific is glad to know we have a friend in the Mideast Region.

Lots of them, actually.

Liberalism, conservatism, libertarianism and other ideologies aside: All Atlasians unite when one group attempts secession and civil war.

Actually, I think the SE is just still pissed they lost the last Civil War.

Virginia?

Well, I see your point. I understand the entire Confederacy isn't in the SE, but all of the SE is in the old Confederacy (except Puerto Rico).

[Badger]

Aye

I'd just like to say that the Pacific is glad to know we have a friend in the Mideast Region.

Lots of them, actually.

Liberalism, conservatism, libertarianism and other ideologies aside: All Atlasians unite when one group attempts secession and civil war.

Actually, I think the SE is just still pissed they lost the last Civil War.

Virginia?

Well, I see your point. I understand the entire Confederacy isn't in the SE, but all of the SE is in the old Confederacy (except NM and Puerto Rico, IIRC).

No.

Yeah, NM is in the Pacific.

Wasn't sure about that. Corrected.

[Badger]

I question the need for an office that exists for no other purpose than to step up when and if a vacancy, either permanent or short term, occurs.

If someone could refresh my memory, though, what is the current regional law regarding the line of succession for governor? I assume there is one, and if so it involves the Speaker of the Assembly somehow.

[Badger]

I question the need for an office that exists for no other purpose than to step up when and if a vacancy, either permanent or short term, occurs.

If someone could refresh my memory, though, what is the current regional law regarding the line of succession for governor? I assume there is one, and if so it involves the Speaker of the Assembly somehow.

Governor---->Speaker------>Justice---->Rest of Assembly by seniority

Thanks Hap!

Yeah, no need to create an office who's sole duty is to be added to an already full line of succession.

[Badger]

I'll agree with most of the other posts here--I'll need some convincing as to why the position is necessary.

^^^^^ this. Big time.

[Badger]

AYE

AYE

Slow down there.  There's not vote on the first motion, and I want to give a little bit of discussion time to my bill, in case anybody has any comments.

In fairness to Fab, "ask(ing) for unanimous consent" does sound like calling for an immediate vote.

[Badger]

Wouldn't a reasonable compromise be to require debate and speech be included as an element in already mandatory English classes, as we have it in Sweden, where debate and speech is a part of Swedish class?

I could completely agree to that.

Good idea. 3 years is massively excessive.

[Badger]

Schools have already means to pay for their materials. There arent' scholls so poor that they can't buy some additional materials, come on.

Don't you believe it. In RL there are schools in the Chicago area so financially strapped they've cut the school week to 4 days (with no increase in the school day's length). To their tremendous credit, groups of students still come to school for the closed weekday to participate in volunteer study groups and tutoring sessions. But such laudable individual initiative doesn't make it any less a crime to deprive children in the wealthiest country on earth such basic educational needs.

That said, my biggest problem with this proposal is, as written, it apparently mandates speech class as part of the curriculum for every single year between grades 9-12. IMHO, assuming there is no opposing consensus among educators that such a requirement would unacceptably reduce necessary time teaching fundamentals like math, English, history, etc., requiring a single grading quarter/report period of speech/forensics class between 9th grade and graduation may be a decent idea. It also may be a good idea to allow dispensation for anyone with a medically certified barrier such as severe speech impediments, etc.

Finally, while such education obviously isn't free, the GM's numbers indicate a 2% gas tax is far in excess of what is necessary to properly fund this proposal.

With a bit of tinkering on these points, this could be a worthwhile proposal deserving of this body's support. Just my two cents as a Mideast citizen....

[Badger]

$5k tax credit for 2 acres of algae??

Some citation on the science involved here might help.

[Badger]

$5k tax credit for 2 acres of algae??

Some citation on the science involved here might help.

Yea I tink at that rate we'd be paying them taxes.

It actually costs about $32,000 for one acre of the stuff just for installation.

Data on this is relatively sparse, but there are some citations for cost around. Check my report for some info and the internet for the rest (ya'll can do your own research ).

Oh I appriciate your report, Mr. GM. I was instead hinting Assemblyman A-Bob may want to provide some documentation re: the energy production potential of algae farms.

[Badger]

$5k tax credit for 2 acres of algae??

Some citation on the science involved here might help.

Yea I tink at that rate we'd be paying them taxes.

It actually costs about $32,000 for one acre of the stuff just for installation.

Data on this is relatively sparse, but there are some citations for cost around. Check my report for some info and the internet for the rest (ya'll can do your own research ).

Oh I appreciate your report, Mr. GM. I was instead hinting Assemblyman A-Bob may want to provide some documentation re: the energy production potential of algae farms.

Sure
http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/energy/biofuel/4213775
http://www.oilgae.com/
and of course, where I also got cost facts
http://www.americanenergyindependence.com/algaefarms.aspx

Interesting. I'd heard about the still underutilized potential of switchgrass for producing ethanol http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Switchgrass#Bioenergy but possible use of algae is new to me.