Talking About Legislature Limiting The Media, Greedy Vets, And FiveThirtyEight

By Nathan Young on January 13, 2015

So, this post will talk about three different things. I mean, there are quite a few things happening in Alabama, a lot of them corrupt and wrong! So, what happens when our beautiful and amazing state government decides to start limiting the freedom of the press? I guess we will soon find out! The Alabama Legislature is wanting to define a person who works in the so called “media.” They will vote on new rules this week that will limit people in the media who will have access to the legislatures and the happenings on the House and Senate floor. And if you are a media person, and are not defined as a “media” person by our smart and heroic legislature, you have to sit way up in the gallery.

Seriously, our legislature is trying to limit access to media. As you know, more and more media is moving to online only websites. As more newspapers and TV stations struggle, online media websites are growing rapidly. I guess the legislature sees this too. They think they will be able to have less media coverage on them, since they know newspapers and TV stations are getting less and less. So, by not allowing anyone who runs an online media website or blog to cover the happenings inside the legislature, they are more likely to see one of their fellow members not get in trouble with the law, I am looking at you House Speaker Mike Hubbard, who was charged with ethics corruption.

The legislature is targeting several websites over the new rules. They are targeting the Alabama Political Reporter, who has broken the news of legislators who have been corrupt. They are targeting this website Geek Alabama for talking about the corruption and wrongdoings in this state. And they are also targeting Yellowhammer News. Yep, if the stricter rules are passed, Cliff Sims will also be effected, unless the buddies down in Montgomery gives him a pass.

The new rules would only allow a salaried staff correspondent, reporter and/or photographer of a newspaper, TV station, or website with a subscription list. Even Del Marsh from Anniston said in the Anniston Star article that “the industry needs to look at who is a true, certified journalist.” Yep, I think those were some words aimed at me. Since I have talked about many times about why the Anniston/Oxford metro is one of the worst metro areas in America, and I have put the blame partly on Del Marsh and his corrupt friends down in Montgomery.

Sadly, there are less people working in the media world. And I am guessing the legislature is wanting to do anything possible to stop media asking about what is going on. And with fewer perspectives on the story and the less sense of accountability, the legislature is hoping that they will have less media people breathing down their backs. And that means more legislatures get away with being corrupt. Don’t you love Alabama and our corrupt government! Now, you will never find me down in the legislature in Montgomery, since Geek Alabama does not talk about state government all the time. But, limiting the freedom of the press to true media people is wrong! Read the proposed rules by clicking here.

Now, let’s also talk about something else corrupt and wrong inside this beautiful and somewhat greedy state. I have been talking the corrupt ways the Alabama State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners have been trying to shut down the four low-cost spay and neuter clinics across the state. The issue, it’s all about the greenbacks, or money. Vets are losing out on making up to $300 per spay and neuter when the low-cost clinics do the same exact job for around $50 or less! And these clinics have the same exact standards as the regular vet clinics, they just do the job much cheaper!

Well thankfully there are judges in the state who know what they are doing! An administrative law judge found Dr. Margaret Ferrell, who is a vet at Alabama Spay-Neuter Clinic, not guilty on all 30 charges! Dr. Ferrell performs spay and neuter procedures at a low-cost spay and neuter clinic. Combine that with Governor Bentley’s appointment of her to the Veterinary Medical Examiners Board, and you can see why the greedy vets wanted her gone for good. Too bad that is not going to happen for them, or maybe not? The ASBVME sent a e-mail to all of their members to contact board members and pack the upcoming hearing on January 16th. They are not too happy about this outcome!

They claim the administrative Law Judge is not a veterinarian and has no prior knowledge or experience in Administering the Alabama Veterinary Practice Act. This recommendation is inconsistent with the findings of the ASBVME consisting of 6 practicing veterinarians with a combined 220 years in the practice of Veterinary Medicine, a Licensed Veterinary Technician with 30 years experience and a lay person. You can read the full letter by clicking here! It sounds like the board is going to reject the ruling, and try to fight the not guilty charges. I wonder if the board can get their buddies in the Alabama Supreme Court to rule for them?

Look, I think this is all wrong! I mean, greedy vets are trying to make people and animals suffer even more! I wish everyone would avoid veterinarians in Alabama who are members of the Alabama State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners and the Alabama Veterinary Practice Owners Association. This all about money, the ASBVME fought tooth and nail to stop a bill from passing in the Alabama Legislature last year that would have made the four low-cost spay and neuter clinics legal. And I am sure they will fight tooth and nail again at a similar bill in the upcoming legislative session.

These greedy vets are just some crazy people that have more money than sense. Here is something you need to know! The low-cost spay and neuter clinics provides spay/neuter services at low-cost to cats and dogs so that shelters won’t have to foot the bill, thus enabling them to keep the animals until adopted. And not putting down animals because the shelters are overrun with animals. Yeah, some of the greedy vets make more money by putting down animals at the shelters as well! They could care less about the welfare of your animal and what is humane. They just go after the all mighty dollar! Here is something you need to ask you veterinarian, if they don’t care about the mission of the low-cost spay and neuter clinics, take your business elsewhere!

And join the Alabama Voters For Responsible Animal Legislation, where they care about the welfare of animals of Alabama at: http://www.alabamavotesforanimals.org/

And let’s talk about one other thing! The website FiveThirtyEight, run by Nate Silver, is a fantastic site that you should read daily! They talk about plenty of things in the world of politics, sports, entertainment, life, science, and tech, and applies a lot of numbers any geek and nerd would love to read! So, they recently put out a post where they were hiring, and of course I applied. What do you think? I hope I get this! It would make people in Alabama and around the country who do wrong things squirm in their pants! I am waiting to see what happens with this, I will let you know the outcome!