Let's see who votes for oil and who votes for Florida

[scooterbug44]

do you still have the info about where the % of US consumed oil comes from...and did you have a primary source document for it? I know you posted it somewhere, but my first search didn't find it. Thanks,

I think it is in the Oil drilling forum thread.

Here are a couple different sources:

Crude Oil and Total Petroleum Imports Top 15 Countries

(most up to date numbers and tells top 5 imports)

If the Iraq War is About Oil, then How Much Are We Getting?

(scroll down on this one and it will break it down by country and ALSO show how the amount we get from the Middle East by percentage is decreasing)

The Oil Drum | Where Does the US Import Oil and Other Petroleum Products From?

Oil Imports and Exports - Energy Explained, Your Guide To Understanding Energy

(simple bold graphs)

 

[Susan Horn]

Susan, do you have any insight into why he is reluctant to take a stand against the drilling? Also, why does he want to increase class size? If I'm not misinformed, he filed a bill to increase ...Session :Bills : : flsenate.gov

GW,

I've no idea about his stand or lack of it on offshore drilling, only know what I have heard from what others have said here.

As to class size, I have listened to several radio and TV discussions of this, and my understanding is not that he wants to increase class size. He, and a number of principals, want to be able to continue to use a whole-school average to achieve the proper class size, rather than having an absolute max number for every single classroom.

I understand why. If you're operating on the absolute no-more-than-___ students in a class for such and such a grade, the logistics can be nightmarish under all kinds of common situations. Say you have 2-3 full Algebra classes (or whatever) and you get a new student transferring to the school in, say, February. With individual classroom absolute maximum rules in place, you have to hire a teacher mid-year, and find another classroom and divide up the 3 other classes so some students from each class will become part of the 4th Algebra class. This is disruptive to all the students and teachers.

If, however, you can use whole-school averaging to achieve class size, and you have the full Algebra classes, but you have several other classes that aren't full, you don't have to disrupt all your Algebra students and teachers mid-year for a transferring student.

There are plenty of other situations where the averaging makes more sense. Not a perfect system, as there will always be some classes with more than the ideal # of students, but logistically and administratively, as well as common sensically (is that a word), the averaging seems more practical and doable.

 

[GoodWitch58]

I think it is in the Oil drilling forum thread.

Here are a couple different sources:

Crude Oil and Total Petroleum Imports Top 15 Countries

(most up to date numbers and tells top 5 imports)

If the Iraq War is About Oil, then How Much Are We Getting?

(scroll down on this one and it will break it down by country and ALSO show how the amount we get from the Middle East by percentage is decreasing)

The Oil Drum | Where Does the US Import Oil and Other Petroleum Products From?

Oil Imports and Exports - Energy Explained, Your Guide To Understanding Energy

(simple bold graphs)

Thank you.

 

[GoodWitch58]

GW,

I've no idea about his stand or lack of it on offshore drilling, only know what I have heard from what others have said here.

As to class size, I have listened to several radio and TV discussions of this, and my understanding is not that he wants to increase class size. He, and a number of principals, want to be able to continue to use a whole-school average to achieve the proper class size, rather than having an absolute max number for every single classroom.

I understand why. If you're operating on the absolute no-more-than-___ students in a class for such and such a grade, the logistics can be nightmarish under all kinds of common situations. Say you have 2-3 full Algebra classes (or whatever) and you get a new student transferring to the school in, say, February. With individual classroom absolute maximum rules in place, you have to hire a teacher mid-year, and find another classroom and divide up the 3 other classes so some students from each class will become part of the 4th Algebra class. This is disruptive to all the students and teachers.

If, however, you can use whole-school averaging to achieve class size, and you have the full Algebra classes, but you have several other classes that aren't full, you don't have to disrupt all your Algebra students and teachers mid-year for a transferring student.

There are plenty of other situations where the averaging makes more sense. Not a perfect system, as there will always be some classes with more than the ideal # of students, but logistically and administratively, as well as common sensically (is that a word), the averaging seems more practical and doable.

okay that makes sense. In your opinion is this what this bill does?

 

[Susan Horn]

okay that makes sense. In your opinion is this what this bill does?

I haven't read the bill. But based on what I have heard, that is what it sounds like to me.

 

[GoodWitch58]

I haven't read the bill. But based on what I have heard, that is what it sounds like to me.

thanks. if you get time, could you take a quick look and give me your opinion...
Session :Bills : : flsenate.gov

 

[30ashopper]

thanks. if you get time, could you take a quick look and give me your opinion...
Session :Bills : : flsenate.gov

Where did this come from? I'd support this amendment if it came to a vote.

 

[GoodWitch58]

Where did this come from? I'd support this amendment if it came to a vote.

well, unfortunately, you don't get to voteit's a senate amendment offered up by Sen. Gaetz. It's from the Senate Web page on bills. But, I am sure he would like to hear your approval--his staff would probably send you the other version of his form letter--

If, it really is designed to do what Susan said (above), I would support it too.

 

[David Pleat]

okay that makes sense. In your opinion is this what this bill does?

Class averaging seems like a good idea. Allows schools to manage their own classes.

 

[30ashopper]

well, unfortunately, you don't get to voteit's a senate amendment offered up by Sen. Gaetz. It's from the Senate Web page on bills. But, I am sure he would like to hear your approval--his staff would probably send you the other version of his form letter--

If, it really is designed to do what Susan said (above), I would support it too.

Hmm, I thought the class size thing was written into the constitution? I would think changes to that would require another amendment, but maybe this just changes existing legislation that tagged along side or something?