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Thursday, April 9, 2009

Bob Corker for President?

Politics1.com has the story

and possibly state Senator Roy Herron (D-Dresden) may run for Governor.

2010 Democratic Primary:

Ward Cammack, Nashville venture capitalist

former House Majority Leader Kim McMillan (D-Clarksville)

possible: state Senator and Democratic Caucus Chair Roy Herron

state Senator Andy Berke of Chattanooga

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Paul Stanley and the GOP oppose fair wages

Read all about it right here.

At least the Senate Dems are finally standing up and voting "no" to nonsense like this.

Sunday, March 8, 2009

Andy Berke on Education

Senator Andy Berke is right. We need a great teacher in every classroom!

That's possible with a comprehensive reform that includes his Teacher Fellows program to attract the best and brightest college students to the teaching profession.

It also means providing meaningful support by way of mentoring for 1st- and 2nd- year teachers.

And incentive pay for the highest-performing teachers to help keep them in the profession.

We should 1) raise salaries for all TN teachers to the national average and 2) reward the best teachers through a system that includes multiple measures to evaluate success

We should also more systematically use value-added data to improve classroom teaching and yes, to help remove ineffective teachers.

We can't just raise pay and attract bright people, we've also got to have accountability that results in keeping the best teachers and removing the worst.

Friday, March 6, 2009

Follow Me

yep. I'm tweeting.

you can follow me through the halls of Legislative Plaza in Nashville and to destinations across Tennessee here: www.twitter.com/andy2012

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

No Line on the Horizon

U2's new album is here. Well, on MySpace, anyway. And in stores next week.

The album is the logical follow-up to Achtung Baby -- almost 20 years later. Of course, U2 got distracted in the 90s and put out "Pop" -- with some good songs (Staring at the Sun, Velvet Dress) -- but overall, Pop was just not good. Their follow-ups, All That You Can't Leave Behind and Atomic Bomb were both very solid with a nice collection of truly U2 songs.

No Line has the potential to be better, in my opinion, though I am not crazy about Get On Your Boots, the album's first single. Here are my favorites: Moment of Surrender, White as Snow, and Cedars of Lebanon. Magnificent is another positive, forward-moving song with a high degree of intensity (think beautiful day or blinding lights).

More than 30 years after their initial start, U2 is officially "back" with 3 very solid albums in a row.

do this: take Achtung Baby, listen to it through, then do the same with No Line ...then be grateful that the error of Pop brought us two more amazing albums before this one.

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

McDonald's Doesn't Get It!

I have been to 3 different McDonald's restaurants in the last month searching for a chocolate milkshake.

each time, the machine was broken.

I don't get it.

McDonald's was built on milkshakes. Ray Kroc sold milkshake mixers.

That's the whole point of McDonald's. You could get a milkshake fast because they had a machine that could make 8 shakes at once. Fast.

Now, they have these modern machines and they seem to be broken.

McDonald's is all about the milkshake but you can't get one there.

Friday, February 6, 2009

Governor Ron Ramsey?

That's what would happen in TN if Phil Bredesen becomes Secretary of Health and Human Services.

Bredesen is a healthcare guy.

And he's clean.

And he's a Southern Governor.

So, those things play in his favor.

But would he leave the state to GOP control for DC? And how might this impact a possible Bredesen bid for U.S. Senate in 2012?