Reuse, Recycle, & Re-Educate

I, Marquis Bagby, agree one hundred and ten percent with my colleague Loan Tran on the growing epidemic we as Texans are facing currently when it comes to reusing the reusable bags as a result of the single-use carryout bag ordinance. For most people that are now affected by the ordinance, it doesn't even pop into their minds that the bag they continue to use time and time again will eventually become dirty and host a number of harmful bacterias.

Just like with anything we as humans continue to use over time, there should come a time where that item, no matter how big or small will need to be cleaned. I mean think about it, when the car gets dirty - we wash it, when our clothes get dirty - we wash those, when the household carpet gets dirty - we shampoo it, so why not apply the same logic to our reusable carryout bags?

I think for some the bag is seldom used and is conveniently pushed off the priority list to be taken care of. Or maybe individuals feel that since the bag is only being used for a short amount of time, it could possibly miss a few washes or two. Whatever the reasonings are behind the lack of keeping up with the cleanliness of these bags, they are ultimately hurting us as a nation.

I also agree that "proper care instructions" should be printed or somehow attached to the bags when they are purchased. Texas legislature should definitely have this on their radar come next month when they meet again and make it mandatory for stores that are complying with the ordinance to have a visible display somewhere on these bags for the proper caring of our reusable carryout bags.

By Way of Lethal Injection

In just a couple of days from now, a mentally ill man will be put to death by lethal injection for killing his in-laws back in 1992. Mr. Scott Panetti who is so delusional cannot understand why he is being convicted and condemned will be put down like an animal on December 3, 2014.

Mr. Panetti has been hospitalized more than a dozen times for psychosis related to his schizophrenia. Mr. Panetti claims to be hunted by Satan in an attempt to prevent him from spreading the word of Christ. He has washed the walls of his home and buried his furniture in the backyard among other unusual acts.

Mr. Panetti has tried to argue his own case however doing so in a very unorthodox attire, a purple cowboy costume with a 10-gallon hat. Some of the key witnesses he has tried to call to the stand would be Pope John Paul II, Former President John F. Kennedy, and Jesus Christ. After taking the stand himself, he spoke to himself in different voices one of which named “Sarge,” the alter ego whose responsible for killing his in-laws with a hunting rifle.

Most people along with most Americans believe that there are defenses that protect the mentality impaired from execution. This is widely assumed due to television, books, and movies that we as a nation simply don’t execute people with mental disorders. However, come this Wednesday, these measures can and will fail from time to time. Now there is no question that Mr. Panetti should be incarcerated, but executing him when he doesn’t fully comprehend the magnitude of the situation raises the argument whether this is immoral.

Now either courts or Governor Rick Perry are the only factors that may stand between a mentality ill person and his death come Wednesday.

Texas, Get with the Program!

My colleague Mr. John Young presents a very compelling side to the ongoing issue as to whether or not the great state of Texas should make the switch and abolish the ban onsame sex marriages its been so proudly rooted in for almost a decade now. It’s an issue that has been beaten to death, resurrected, and torn back down again by many.

As for many Americans, the issue seems to be one that is surrounded by controversy at every turn. Should holy matrimony be shared among a man a woman solely? Is banning a civil union between two individuals who are in love against a person’s unconstitutional rights? No matter what the answers truly are, it’s always going to be up for debate. While others can care less whether or not two men or two women be bond together like any other heterosexual couple just as long as it doesn’t impede on their lifestyle. We could probably go as far as to say that maybe certain people look at the issue based on how they were brought up.

I agree with Mr. Young based on his point of view towards equality for same sex couples and their choice to get married. I believe that if ANY two-bodied souls love one another and is willing to be bonded together for eternity, then why not let them proceed in the right to be married. But that judgment isn’t up for me to decide, unfortunately its up to many court rooms that lag and drag their feet on the issue, all the while same sex couples in Texas live their lives with no real title to share a bond identified by the state. I too, hope that Texas isn’t one of the last states to “give equal rights to all its residents.”

Voters Don't Care, Why Should You?

Why does Texas have such a poor voter participation rate? One could say that the general public simply doesn’t care about the politics that surrounds them and is incorporated in their daily lives. Maybe they feel as if their voice – their vote – doesn’t really count in a predominately one-sided political party state. We could even go as far to say that the members of this vast land aren’t quite sure on the stands of their favorable political leaders. So out of 13.6 million eligible voters in the state of Texas, can these assumptions be true and ultimately drive down our participation rate?

Recent survey polls have shown that your average American favors to not indulge themselves in politics and is comfortable with that way of life. Understandable when trying to follow and keep up with such complex issues that face society these days. But aren’t the political leaders that chose to face these issues head on for us supposed to be articulating these problems for us? Are they doing their job to the best of their ability?

How’s life for your uneducated American who’s never voted a day in his or her life? Or that single mother that is struggling to get by who’s classified as below the poverty line in Texas? Better yet, the Democratic that lives in Texas but doesn’t even bother to vote on Election Day because they already know the outcome. It’s the little guy’s voice that we need to start looking out for and representing. Not only for them, but also for this great state that is ultimately hurting itself in the process. Texas needs to take a second look at who’s all voting and who isn’t to try and find more alternatives in tipping the scale back the other way.

Do we have a chance at this or is it a lost cause? Texas, we’re all ears!

Villain or Hero?

This blog piece comes to us by way of the Dallas Morning News newspaper written by a Mr. Rudolph Bush on October 15, 2014 in which he titles it "The disgusting, racist anti-Miles flier going around at Dade Middle School in Dallas."

Now this piece is a little sketchy in details but from what I can gather from it was the Dallas Independent School District Superintendent Mike Miles had a school board trustee removed from a school's premises after the superintendent had replaced a principal who “wasn’t cutting it” with someone who would. The board member took it upon herself to take the management position but before she could, Mr. Miles had her escorted off the school grounds by the local police department. Superintendent Mike Miles has been accused of violating the Board of Education policies as well as abusing his authority in said actions.

First off, in order for me to critique this author’s creditability about this piece would be difficult because we don’t have much supporting facts to back up such an approach he has set for the readers. I mean, besides the so-called “flier” circulating the school district, the author doesn’t provide any backdrop to the story at all. Hell, I found more information about this story in neighboring newspaper blog sections just to have a better understanding in what was really going on here. With the lack of accompanying specifics I would have to say that this author’s credibility falls by the waist side by far.

One could say that the intended audience could be the parents of the children that attend the schools in this district, maybe even go as far as to say other board members. Could be the “ignorant” author of the disrespectful flier or just the locals in the area. I can’t say for sure since the unclear method that the author has taken leaves much to the imagination.

All in all, looking at the blog piece as a whole leaves the readers to want more. There are one too many holes in this piece to one, take the time out and read it – two, give credit to where credit is due and in this regard would have been to the author. I wish that Mr. Bush would've taken a little more time as a professional journalist to go the extra mile and give a full story into what was going on in efforts of educating his readers.

We've Lost Reception Again

I happened to choose an opinion piece from the Fort Worth Star-Telegram newspaper by a Mr. Mike Norman posted on September 18, 2014 titled “Texas lawmakers will have to tackle electronic privacy issues.”

Mr. Norman introduces an issue in technology that at one point in time needed to be  protected, but as of today has gone a bit too far and is in need to be revised to a more practical form of usage. In 2013, legislation was passed to protect certain electronic data for the general public’s sake, however police officers and prosecutors are saying that such protection may now be hindering investigations that need fast actions in order to save lives.

Apparently some data on mobile devices can link someone to the vicinity of a crime, rule another person out, or link potential suspects all together. What it boils down to is which information requires a court order and which do not? All the while, the clock is ticking away in efforts to obtaining the correct and proper paperwork to proceed in such investigations.

I feel that Mr. Norman did an awesome job in presenting his argument in this piece giving him substantial credibility. A worthy and solid argument has evidence to back it up and Mr. Norman has provided examples of such when including the meet between the Senate State Affairs Committee and police officers and prosecutors along with other testimonies. Mr. Norman goes on by offering related information to the Texas Electronic Privacy Coalition and their relationship to courts in rectifying the situation.

I would go as far to say that Mr. Norman may not be aiming for one specific group of people for an audience but more of informing inquisitive individuals who may be interested in what ray of topics be presented to the Legislature come next January.