http://alishehnilmeknojia.blogspot.com/

TAKS SHOULD BE NO MORE!!

The school education system is important to businesses in our country for a bright future.  Hence, as  one of the ways to check students’ ability and schools’ quality, Texas government currently have  used  Texas Assessment of Knowledges and Skills..

However, TAKS have been complained among students and even some of parents in various reasons. Alishehnil’s article,“ TAKS should be no more!!” is also exactly describe  student’s frustrated feeling  toward TAKS that they should take it.

He has thought taking “TAKS is just a waste of school day and people that are not good test takers they stress out”. His main reason TAKS should be no more is that if someone  fail then they have to make it up on a different day, and the way makes  “A handful of people that don’t pass because they stress out  like  what if they don't pass then this will happen. Do you think really they fail because of they stress out?

Yes, It is true, you have definitely stress out because of taking TAKS.   Also, in a high  school, already have enough thing to do, such as homework, catching up all classes,  and even tests like you mentioned. However,  your reason is not  enough strong  for being no TAKS.   you should mention more rational reasons being no more TAKS.  I have heard TAKS problems ask really basic concept of subjects,  and if diligent students for their school  lives,  mostly easy to pass it. I can't agree your opinion because they get  stress out, so they fail their TAKS.

 Texas government hasn't given any  funds to schools which get lower grade through TAKS, It makes worse school, environment,  and also some schools let allow cheating to  manipulate  students scores to get funds receive. Like this,  TAKS has had problems. If so,  how about giving suggestions making better condition when students have TAKS.

http://www.statesman.com/news/news/opinion/strengthen-oversight-of-fertilizer-plants/nXXkw/

Improve Oversight of Fertilizer Plants

Thursday, April 25, 2013

 This week on April 17^th, the article “Improve Oversight of Fertilizer Plant"  appearing in the Austin  American Statesman  definitely drew my attention, like many other people who wanted to know about  the big tragedy overwhelming the media. We mourn the miserable tragedy that killed 14 people, including 10 volunteer firefighters in West, Texas. The accident, the explosion of the fertilizer plant, left us in shock. It is too much sadness to describe with any words. While I read this article, I really could understand why such a big tragedy happened, as the author gave a lot of thorough information.

 I agree that the explosion might not have been totally preventable, but there must be greater regulation imposed on dangerous chemical storage plants in our state. Perry wants to promote new businesses moving to Texas while relaxing the regulations on industry, but the cost is too great for our residents. This plant has been cited numerous times in the past for various violations, and yet was allowed to keep operating without any serious penalties or fines. We must do more to protect our citizens from these types of potentially dangerous plants operating in our state. If we don't, it's not a matter of "if" another explosion could occur, but "when" the next one will happen. West is not the first town in Texas to be devastated by a massive explosion, as Texas City was rocked by the worst industrial accident in American history over fifty years ago  like the author mentioned. Growth at "all cost" is not worth the lives of innocent citizens.

The author argues that “the direct cause of the explosion was a fire that heated tons of ammonium nitrate to the point of deadly detonation,” but the original problem came from a “muddled and fractured" state and federal regulatory system which allowed the conditions that led to the explosion. The one example he gives make us, the readers, extremely upset; the last year the company stored 270 tons of ammonia nitrate, significantly more than legally allowed to be stored without report. He says that “Any amount of ammonium nitrate over 400 pounds is supposed to be reported to the US Department.” However, “the West plant did not notify the department. It was over 1,350 times the maximum allowed before notification is required.”

He also mentions, “Further, the department relies on self-reporting, and it doesn’t have enough money or inspectors to carry out inspection of the 600 fertilizer depots and plants.” Legal regulations and citations aren’t effective when there aren’t enough inspectors to do the work. He gives information that “the insurance Council of Texas estimates damages will reach $100 million.” His information is enough to understand the federal regulatory system is weak. However, I really wonder, what kind of federal regulations are enforced in Texas?  If the author had provided some laws the state has for readers, they may have a better understanding of why the West explosion happened. The readers would also more easily understand how much the government has to do to make strong regulatory laws for the public's safety. 

http://jflippentexgov.blogspot.com/2013/04/please-dont-make-my-buy-another.html#comment-form

Since plastic bags were invented in1840, they have given a lot of convenience for our lives due to their practicality, so most of the grocery stores have used them for packing customers’ purchases.   

However, recently we started to realize the serious problems that plastic bags pose for our health. Hence, the state government started a ban on retailers providing customers with plastic bags, and as a result, it has been a big issue in  Austin today,  and there  are mixed feeling as to if this ban is necessary.

Jessica’s article exactly describes Austin citizens’ frustration because they can’t use convenient plastic bags. She thinks that banning plastic bags is just another way of the government trying to take away our rights. She also emphasizes individual citizen should be able to decide if they want to use plastic bags or not, and it is our right.

            It is true. Banning plastic bags is definitely creating so many inconveniences, and many that feel the government took away our right to choose.  However, have you ever thought about  why the government tries to use this system even though it causes citizens lots of inconveniences  or how using  too many plastic bags is much more harmful for our health than worrying  about reusable bags’ “deadly bacterial growth” ? 

 If the government only thinks about the economic cost cutting by banning plastic bags, it is an definitely exploitation of our right to choose.  However, more than anything else, the important thing is related to our health.   If we know about how using plastic bags has much more serious and harmful health problems, we definitely can overcome or be a little bit more patient when it comes to these inconveniences.  

According to scientific research, plastic bags can take up to 1000 years to degrade back into the soil, and they also release carcinogen, a huge amount of cancer causing agent during the degrading time.   As another reason, plastic bags are also made from polyethylene which is derived from natural gas and crude oil, so using lots of plastic bags depletes natural resources.  Plastic bags can have lots of problems for our future.

            How about suggesting good sources for reducing customers’ inconveniences? For example, stores can discount some money for customers who bring their own bags or pack groceries in actual trash bags for a cost rather than claiming the plastic bag ban should be repealed.   It is more rational, and it also better for our health, and moreover, for our next generation’s bright future, it will be better in the long run.

http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2012/05/21/more-than-2000-wrongfully-convicted-people-exonerated-in-23-years-researchers-say/

http://www.statesman.com/news/news/opinion/lawmakers-should-clean-up-flaws-that-lead-to-wrong/nWbxW

Who will ever give a man back the 25 years he lost of his precious life when he was in prison?  

Wednesday, Apr. 3, 2013

By Rosy Kim

            For the last few decades, wrongful conviction has been one of the biggest social problems in Texas. The articles about wrongful convictions have become remarkable headline news, and without reading the articles, we can’t grasp the news in our everyday life. Hence, recently, people who are thoughtful have argued that lawmakers should clean up flaws that lead to wrongful convictions.

 It is really true. There is no way the legal system can give people who are falsely imprisoned for a very long time their lives back. So, the Legislature should correct the flaws in the system that stole innocent people’s lives. The reason is that wrongful convictions rips away innocent people’s precious lives and deprives them of their family.
 

The United States is a great symbol of democracy. However, the great democratic country has stolen innocent people’s freedom due to flaws in the justice system.  According to the statistics that are reported by college researchers who have established the first registry of exoneration  more than 2,000 people have been exonerated of serious crimes since 1898 in the United States.   Among those exonerated, 84 of them were from Texas.

 In one of the biggest wrongful conviction cases in Texas, Michael Morton spent 25 years in prison for a crime he did not commit, and he was 57 when he was freed from the prison.  What words can give comfort for him? How much monetary compensation can give back his priceless life? After he got free, even though he got 1.96 million dollars from the government, but more than this money, who will ever give him back the precious life he lost when he was in prison? 

         Moreover, if the wrongful conviction happened due to prosecutorial tactics such as hiding or suppressing evidences or information, this is extremely morally wrong, the sin never gets forgiven.   There should be strong punishment for withholding evidence by prosecutors, and also there should be separated governmental department to oversee prosecutors to decrease the number of wrongful convictions.

http://www.statesman.com/news/news/opinion/lawmakers-should-clean-up-flaws-that-lead-to-wrong/nWbxW

Lawmakers should clean up flaws that lead to wrongful convictions

Feb 27, 2013  American Statesman 
 By Editorial Board

Who will ever give a man back the 25 years he lost of his precious life when he was in prison? 
             In this article “Lawmakers should clean up flaws that lead to wrongful convictions” written by American Statesman,  Michael, Morton spent 25 years in prison for a crime he did not commit because of the wrongful conviction.When I read the article,  I had to ask myself the above question more than a thousand times. Even though he received compensation from the government, how could he ever get back the years he lost? 

            This article intends to give information to the general public like me about how flawed Texas’s legal system is. Because of the Michael, Morton case, Whitmire,  who chairs the Senate Committee on Criminal Justice, filed the bill  in order to make the system more accountable when it fails to address prosecutor misconduct, such as  suppressing evidence.

            This article emphasizes that the Legislature should correct the flaws in the system that stole innocent people’s freedom.  More than anything else, wrongful convictions leave communities vulnerable to criminals who remain free because innocent people are serving time for the real criminals’ deeds.  The article also mentions wrongful convictions are very morally wrong and costly, totaling about $ 65 million in compensation since 1992 to people who were freed after spending time in prison.  

            Morton has accused the former attorney who is now a state judge in Georgetown, Ken Anderson, of hiding favorable evidence, but he has denied the accusation.   If unethical or unlawful conduct is found to be true, the law definitely should punish him, and the Texas justice system should prevent misfortune in people’s precious lives.

            I agree with the author’s opinion.  However, I wish the article would be more concerned about people’s precious lives which have been lost because of the wrongful convictions, and less focused on the cost of money government has to spend. Even more important than the monetary or moral costs are the lives of the people affected by false imprisonment. Also, if the article had provided some statistics about how many wrongful convictions happened each year, readers would realize it’s a serious problem.

http://www.statesman.com/

Thursday, February 7, 2013     

Perry should follow  guvs on Medicaid
http://www.mysanantonio.com/opinion/editorials/article/Perry-should-follow-guvs-on-Medicaid-4260832.php
As a humanist, the editorial, " Perry should follow gov on Medicaid” I read from the  My San Antonio  was enough  to catch my attention.  

According to the article, The  Governor Rick Perry and other  GOP  leaders rejected  the government funds  even though many states  such as the Republic Governor of Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, and North Dakota  have chosen to accept federal funds to help with the expansion of the state Medical program.  Perry  reasons that   “Since Medicaid is one of biggest problem of the national debt,  it would be irresponsible for Texas to accept more Medicaid funding from the federal government” The author makes a strong argument  against  the Governor Rick Perry, and Perry became a fish  on the chopping board in this article.   

The author argues the government fund‘s main element is an effort  to increase health insurance  coverage with the expansion of Medical, a joint federal state program that provides medical benefits to low -income individuals; and families who lack health insurance.  The article is intended for the whole nation, but it is liberal in its viewpoint.

The author shows  some statistics that twenty-four percent of Texas residents -- 6.2 million people -- are uninsured , and this rate is the highest in the nation.  This statistic is really shocking to me, I had thought Texas was one of the wealthiest states among the nation.  If this is so, why do states have a lot of people who need to get help from the government?  If this statistic is really true, Governor Perry should definitely get the government funds for taking care of the people as he is a person  who has a responsibility for his  poor state.  The authors sarcastically says “ Even Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer, a darling of the right, understands the basic mathematics of Medicaid expansion”. This expression subtly questions Perry’s intelligence.

I strongly agree with the author’s opinion.   If people are healthy, they definitely have to be independent and not try to get help from the government.  However, for the people who are really in need of help such as the very elderly or young children, Perry should not just reject the government funds, he should find another solution for the poor people of Texas.

Rick Perry To SBOE: More Charters, Career/Tech Courses

• by Morgan Smith
• Friday February 1, 2013

http://www.texastribune.org/2013/02/01/perry-sboe-more-charters-careertech-courses/

 Governor Perry called Friday for increasing the number of the charter schools in Texas and lauded a voucher plan.  As a person who is very interested in the education system, the article caught my attention.  This article is nice for the parents who are worrying for their kids’ education.

  I have heard Texas schools can get funds from the government when schools make high scores on a standardized test.  As a result, schools that do not get high ranking scores receive less funding. If parents who are in a poor economic situation or who are enthusiastic for kids’ education, Perry’s  school voucher plan is a great plan for them.  

America is one of very wealthy countries in the world.  Hence, students who have passion to study can find a way to do so.  If students can’t develop their abilities due to a poor school system or their environment, the voucher plan is an extremely good plan for them.  

In particular, I really agree with what Perry stated when he said “All high school students need increased exposure to technical training on everything from engineering to veterinary science.”  My country also has a strong zeal for educating their children, and the government has built engineering schools to develop students’ ability from a young age if they have a talent even though South Korea does not use charter schools. This article is significant to readers because education is very important for our country’s future.

I hope Perry makes effort for his suggestion, not only finishing by planning for students who really want to study better environment for country bright future.