Blog Stage 8

This is in response to Political Carousels story.
I believe that there should be an ordinance against panhandling. I find it quite annoying that I also have to roll up my window and stare past the person to avoid eye contact of the panhandler. I liked your comment about how if out of every 20 cars gives a panhandler $1...how it could potentially add up to $25 dollars an hour. This is more than some people make with an assosiates degree! I agree with you that we work hard for our money and shouldn't have to give it away to someone who is standing on the streets all day holding a sign. I would also like to comment on you question, "..how do you know we are not just supporting their habits of alcohol or drug abuse?" I have actually seen a panhandler on a corner in North Austin with a sign that said "need money for beer." This really angers me. We already have enough problems with alcohol in Austin. Why should I give someone even a penny if they are going to buy alcohol? I have alo been stuck at a red light and a panhandler actually came and knocked on my window. I don't believe these people deserve handouts. Some of them are just lazy and need to go out like every other person and find a job. All they need is a shower and to a ride to any of the local soup kitchens until they can find a job. Those who are physically of mentally disabled should have help provided for them by the government or people who want to donate to help them out as you commented on. I also agree that an ordinance to stop panhandling would make Austin a safer and less vunerable place to drive.

Dumb Criminals

After reading an article about a 24 year old man charged with arson on a limousine business in Austin, I could not help but laugh and think to myself ' what a dumb criminal.' The man by the name of William Smith was questioned while being treated for burns in a medical center in San Antonio by investigators. According to Smith, he was planning on gambling at an un named gaming place with his friends, when one of his friends found out the place was closes and got very angry. In fact he was so angry that he decided to break into the next door AAA limousine business, steal a limo and set the limousine company on fire.
According to the police report there was evidence that the driver of the limousine had been burned, after sampling charred skin samples from the limo. There was also a report of a can of gasoline sitting next to Smith's truck, which happened to be conveniently parked in front of AAA Limousine. Investigators also reported that Smith's clothes smelled like gasoline and his burns looked like he had been the one to ignite the fuel and was close to the fire.
First of all if you are that obsessed with gambling that you have to take it out on a limo company by means of grand theft auto and arson, go to Vegas. As far as I know you can gamble any time you want even at 5 a.m. (This is the time the fireman were called to put out the fire.) Second this person while spending a few years in prison-I imagine for arson and auto theft, should seek anger management therapy. You must have serious issues for committing these crimes over gambling. Criminals are seriously getting dumber. They have dumb excuses for the crimes and don't know how to hide evidence. I mean seriously try not leaving your vehicle and a can of gasoline in front of the crime scene. Also don't stand so close to the building after your sorry attempt at burning the place down. The only good that comes out of moronic criminals is me laughing at them while the rot in jail/prison. =)

Blog Stage 6

In response to Greediocracy's report.
I fully agree with your article, "A Happy Halloween Indeed." I myself avoided going downtown this Halloween because of the increase in drunk drivers after dodging several just while walking to my car from sixth street two years ago on Halloween. I really like this new idea of the 'No Refusal' policy. There are too many deaths and injuries in Texas from drunk drivers every year. The 'No Refusal' policy cuts numbers of drunk drivers down because they know if they get pulled over they can't refuse a breath sample of blood sample.I wish the 'No Refusal' policy could be a law in Texas for every day of the year.
Last month at 5 p.m. my Dad was hit by a drunk driver at a stop light. (He's fine)Of course it didn't help the fact that the drunk driver was an illegal immigrant.This was in the middle of the day on a weekday! The sad thing is that this occurs more often than we know. I liked your comment on how less intoxicated drivers means safer streets. It is also true that especially Austin drivers can't even drive sober. Much less drunk! I like the fact that the now annual Halloween weekend 'No Refusal' policy has cut the numbers of drunk drivers in half.If the 'No Refusal' policy could be an every day thing, I wonder what it would do to the state wide numbers of drunk drivers in Texas.

The Texas Lottery

Willis is a sixty-seven year old man from Texas who had a winning Texas lottery ticket in the amount of one million dollars taken from him by a local convenient store clerk. Willis, who had played the Texas lottery for ten years at the Lucy Food Store simply wanted the local clerk to check to see if he had the winning numbers. The clerk lied and said the ticked was only worth two dollars. Former clerk Pankaj Joshi cashed in the winning million dollar ticket at the Texas Lottery Commissions office, and fled the country taking 750,000 dollars.
After Joshi was charged claiming the lottery prize by fraud, Willis went with his attorney to the Texas Lottery Commission with high hopes of claiming his stolen prize. When he walked away minutes later with nothing he decided to sue the Texas Lottery Commission unless he gets his well deserved money. He is currently unemployed because of medical problems and needs the money to pay the medical bills and send his daughter to college.
I believe the Texas Lottery Commission is being stubborn and not very smart by claiming that the man Joshi charged with fraud was the one who cashed in so he deserves to keep the money. He is nothing but a dirty thief who took advantage of an old man. A loyal customer non the less. I believe the Texas Lottery Commission should pay Willis what he deserves. He was lied to and basically robbed of his rightfully owned one million dollars. This situation is making the Texas Lottery Commission look bad and I wouldn't be surprised if more people will stop playing the lottery for fear of things going wrong. Willis opens a lot of eyes to the kind of people behind the Texas Lottery Commission. The kind who after giving money to a criminal refuse the money to the rightful owner.

Proposition 7

Shawn N. Griffith, author of "Vote Yes on Proposition 7" which is a blog from The North Texas Conservative is obviously trying to persuade people to vote "yes" on Proposition 7, which will be voted on in the November election in Texas. I believe Griffith's target audience are voters, particularly those who are undecided. According to Griffith, Proposition 7 is basically there to "clean up" Article 16, Section 40 of the Texas Constitution. Article 16 states that "no civil servant can hold two offices or positions in the government." The author includes teachers, firemen, police officers, and other civil service jobs in his argument that supports Proposition 7. These people according to Article 16, couldn't hold a position as a state elected official. One group Griffith mentions throughout this article is the Texas State Guard. He is obviously a huge supporter of this volunteer group, whom he describes as first responders for natural disasters. Many civil service people volunteer for this group. He names off four state representatives who are officers in the Texas State Guard, who are all for revising Article 16.
The author claims that the officers named who are State Representatives of Texas know that the Texas State Guard is a vital organization when it comes to natural disasters such as helping the communities by cleaning up, evacuation assistance, and medical support.
He ends his editorial by persuading people to vote for Proposition 7 because it will clean up Article 16 by allowing any citizen to volunteer their service to the state. He also ends by adding a small patriotic reminder about how every member of the state's military are heroes, as a reason to vote next month.

I believe this is a good article written by Shawn N. Griffith. He makes a good point when persuading people to vote, using natural disasters as a prime example. This is a good article for people that either don't know about Proposition 7, or who are undecided on it. I myself have never heard of it, but his persuading article gives you a lot to think about when voting next month!

TWD

The author of Cracking Down on Texting While Driving from the Caller Times has a strong opinion on TWD, or texting while driving. The author targets all drivers, particulary those who text while driving. This person claims that texting while driving is the most hazardous distraction and should be eliminated as much as possible because it takes everything you need to concentrate on the road such as cognition, hands, and eyes which are being occupied by texting.
There are many studies done to prove this argument, including The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration who claim 6000 car deaths and half a million injuries are pinned on distracted drivers. Not to mention the the 15 times more risks involved in texting then just talking on cell phones while driving. The author claims that the AAA wants all 50 states to have a ban on this situation, who believe it to be a health crisis. Even though the author is clearly against texting while driving, or in that case any distractions while driving, the author is against punishing states who do not yet have the ban. The author sites that AAA is trying to campaign in states such as Texas, which do not have bans.
According to the author, because of the fact that one fith of the states already have this ban, congress should not pressure the other states such as Texas to pass the ban. The author believes that the ban should pass on its own. The company representing Verizon wireless want campains which will further educate parents and teens on the dangers of texting while driving.
I agree with this author that texting is very dangerous and should be banned. I myself am unfortunately guilty of texting while driving. Its very dangerous and has distracted me from the road the minute I look down from driving. If is was banned in Texas i would most likely stop because it is very distracting and dangerous. I'm a college kid who cannot afford a ticket!

Dell Gift

I chose the article, "Michael & Susan Dell Foundation gives $10 million to state," from the Austin American Statesman. The Michael and Susan Dell Foundation is funding $10 million dollars to the state of Texas for the student data system. This system will allow teacher, principals, educators, and parents instant access to each individual students records. These records include tests, discipline, attendance, academic records, ect. The records will be "private" for students. It will even allow transfer students future teachers to look at their records. This is known as the Student Data System. It is supposed to help students state wide to be more successful in school, and will help educators to know what needs to be done in order to help students reach their academic goals. The Obama administation wants the to use the system to track student achievement as their priority. The city school districts in Texas will be the first to test this system next fall.

I believe this article is worth reading because it will affect almost every student in the state of Texas. Its important to know what the educators will be able to look at as far as records go, and the students should read this to also be aware of the future changing events in their schools.