http://www.newsobserver.com/2013/04/10/2816747/arts-class-mandate-for-nc-diploma.html

Quote :

"House members voted 98-19 on Wednesday for a bill that would insert one credit of arts education such as music, theater or dance into the required curriculum to graduate starting with ninth graders in 2016. The bill would allow the credit to be earned in middle school. The bill pitted legislators who say arts participation encourages creativity and increases its appreciation against those who argue the classes should remain optional because some students just aren't good at drawing or playing an instrument. Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/2013/04/10/2816747/arts-class-mandate-for-nc-diploma.html#storylink=cpy"

I didn't see it in any other thread.

How about if you're going to point out all the negative bills that some of these yahoos come up with, pull out some positive ones too.

4/12/2013 7:58:46 AM

i don't see how a single a art credit is going to accomplish what the bill's purpose is, but students would have 7 years to do it so its not really terrible

in other words, this is a pretty bland and neutral bill. not really a positive one.

[Edited on April 12, 2013 at 8:02 AM. Reason : .]

4/12/2013 8:02:32 AM

Because this doesn't matter. The other ones do.

4/12/2013 8:46:16 AM

I played the recorder in an elementary school class. I AM NOW A MUSICAL GENIUS AND A VERY WELL ROUNDED PERSON. Thank you, N.C. government.

4/12/2013 8:58:06 AM

I guess with the march of NCLB-inspired curricular changes, if stuff like this isn't made mandatory it will become unavailable in favor of more teaching to the test in mathematics and English.

4/12/2013 9:22:08 AM

actual positive bill:

NC Senate approved 75mph speed limit

4/12/2013 10:15:51 AM

^why is that positive? people will get their destination 10 minutes faster, and bad drivers will be that much more dangerous and deadly?

4/12/2013 10:18:44 AM

75 is a safe speed

4/12/2013 10:30:42 AM

you've convinced me. speed does not kill.

4/12/2013 10:34:58 AM

4/12/2013 10:47:07 AM

i don't see the problem with 75 on a long, straight, open stretch of interstate. I've seen 85 speed limits in parts of texas.

4/12/2013 10:48:08 AM

I'm fine with me going 75. But bad drivers shouldn't be able to go over 55.

4/12/2013 11:04:45 AM

Quote :

"I'm fine with me going 75. But bad drivers shouldn't be able to go over 55."

In my experience, at least on the interstates, most bad drivers are driving slowly, or at the very least erratically. The guys flying down the road at 90MPH, they're usually the least of my concerns.

4/12/2013 11:28:56 AM

someone driving 55 on the interstate is going to get people killed, someone driving 75 is not

4/12/2013 11:39:00 AM

It's funny when you get on your soapboxes. It's a fact, the faster a vehiclegoes, the more likely they are to wreck, and the more likely it is that the wreck will be deadly. but i'm just playing devil's advocate, i'm ok with 75 mph.

4/12/2013 11:53:55 AM

speed difference is the biggest danger, a car travelling 55 has a bigger difference from surrounding traffic than one doing 75

4/12/2013 11:55:04 AM

i agree with you there, i was kidding about bad drivers having to go 55. they should just have their license taken away. it's a privilege!

4/12/2013 11:57:45 AM

someone sponsor a bill that allows police to confiscate your car if you are driving in the rain without your lights on, i'd support that too

4/12/2013 12:13:08 PM

or a bill stopping the handouts of the priviledge that is known as a "driver's" liscence. Make people actually know how to drive like countries with low vehicle death rates ie Germany and Norway.

4/12/2013 12:20:30 PM

I hate being on a highway with some dumbshit speed limit like 45. Because if god forbid I try to keep it at 5-10 over to avoid a ticket, there's always some crazy tailgating jackass going 80 switching lanes like a maniac. I'm all for a 75 speed limit because I can then go 80-85 and feel safer.

[Edited on April 12, 2013 at 12:24 PM. Reason : .]

4/12/2013 12:23:32 PM

I'm in favor of letting some people going over 55 on the highway, but only if they demonstrate some competent skill in the arts. And they need to be prepared with a recorder or finger painting in the glovebox in case they're pulled over.

4/12/2013 12:26:49 PM

we also really need more laws about lane discipline, following distance, passing on the left, etc...

and they need to be heavily enforced, judge dredd style

4/12/2013 1:54:04 PM

^this. especially for multi-lane roads in cities. Highways are bad enough; but it's like almost everyone forgets the slower traffic keep right on "smaller" roads.

Two weeks ago I was hauling a few cubic yards of fresh compost home from Raleigh. The weight was well beyond a safe bed weight capacity; I had the Carolina Squat going on and my trailer hitch would bottom out when I hit a bump. That being said, I didn't get above 45 mph on the way home (2 highways included). I left especially early as to avoid rush hour traffic.

I can attest that going 45 mph on a highway that is 60 MPH+ is much scarier and dangerous than going 5-15 MPH over. I thought I was going to get killed the entire time.

I'm pretty sure that it's already a NC law to keep right if you are going below the posted speed limit; though I don't think it's ever enforced. But if we are going to have enforcement of maximum speeds; we need laws and enforcement of minimum speeds.

[Edited on April 12, 2013 at 2:05 PM. Reason : .]

4/12/2013 2:02:35 PM

So can we also get a bill sponsored that will let school buses go faster than 45MPH? Or at least ban them from the highways? It's really irritating to navigate the cluster fuck that is everyone merging and slowing to get by a school bus and I really can't see how that's making things safer.

4/12/2013 2:05:00 PM

^that would be nice. pretty sure activity buses can go up to 55 MPH legally. If the 45 MPH limit is about "safety" then why in the hell aren't there seatbelts in school buses?

4/12/2013 2:06:42 PM

^^
don't sections that school buses use have warning signs?

^^^
under 45 on the interstate is also illegal (min speed 45), and what you did was dumb and dangerous not just to you but other innocent drivers on the road

way to go, asshole

[Edited on April 12, 2013 at 2:08 PM. Reason : .]

4/12/2013 2:07:27 PM

Quote :

"don't sections that school buses use have warning signs?"

I've never seen one (unless you're talking about those new signs about buses on the shoulder) but even if there were, what do signs do to alleviate the problem that is a bus full of children travelling at the absolute minimum speed while hundreds of other cars have to slow down, merge and otherwise maneuver around the bus?

4/12/2013 2:44:40 PM

they route buses to try to avoid the interstate, but sometimes that's impractical. they have signs that say "school buses use interstate next X miles" or something like that (if you want to see one just head over to I-40/I-440), I'm just not sure if they are required. it doesn't make it safe, but it at least provides warning and is a limited action that only happens at certain times.

[Edited on April 12, 2013 at 2:48 PM. Reason : .]

4/12/2013 2:47:38 PM

Quote :

" what you did was dumb and dangerous not just to you but other innocent drivers on the road"

Well I tried to miracle that compost from Raleigh to my house, but it didn't work, so I went to plan B.

4/12/2013 4:07:06 PM

well since your plan B was illegal and dangerous you could have chosen plan C) hire a hauler, plan D) rent a truck that was appropriately sized to haul what you need, or even plan E) haul it in multiple loads.

But nope, drive illegally under 45 on the interstate it is!

4/12/2013 4:10:22 PM

No thanks for those plans. Plan B was good enough.

umadbro?

4/12/2013 4:12:35 PM

75 is needed on 40 east of 95

4/12/2013 5:16:21 PM

People who do not turn on their headlights in the rain need to be forced to walk.

4/13/2013 9:44:07 AM

Quote :

"People who do not turn on their headlights in the rain need to be forced to walk. "

It should be wired into the car. Once your wipers go to intermittent or continuous your headlights should automatically come on.

I hate automated and nanny-state items most of the time but because there are so many idiots on the road this should be required. I also think hood and gas filler door ajar lights need to be installed.

[Edited on April 13, 2013 at 12:08 PM. Reason : ad]

4/13/2013 12:08:20 PM