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.