In Mr. Riojas' blog, The Lone Star Government, he states how the Texas legislature are currently trying to pass a few laws that are aim towards teens. Laws such as when they should be able to drive, buying cigarettes, texting while driving, and tanning are being discussed because at that age they're still developing judgements and prone to danger.
I would definitely agree with everything Mr. Riojas stated. Whether you're 16 or 40 it's never a good reason why you should be texting and driving. If you do get a text just don't look at it until you've reached you're destination. Besides it's even worse when that person is first learning how to drive and trying to text at the same time. I agree that these laws shouldn't just be aimed at teens but they should also be applied toward adults because the rate of them getting into an accident or something is just as high as teens when they're on the phone or texting.
I have to agree with Mr. Riojas that the law prohibiting teens younger than 16 1/2 from tanning is just ridiculous. I mean yeah the legislature probably only looking out for their health, but still if the parents are up for them tanning then let it be.
Finally, some of these are just ridiculous, do they have nothing better to do than just sit there and come up with laws targeted just for teens? Come on, focus on something that's even more important and leave these type of things for the parents to decide. Besides teens already rebel against their parents as it is but if these laws does get pass, they'll just rebel even more and is that what we really want?
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Monday, May 4, 2009
Proposals would reduce uninsured in Texas
Texas is most likely the uninsured capital of the United States. On average about 12 percent of children are uninsured nationally, but in Texas alone there are 22 percent of kids who are uninsured, that's about 1.5 million uninsured children in Texas, which is really a lot if you think about it. For more than a decade, Texas has been the highest, or at least almost the highest, percentage of uninsured children and that's not something we as Texans should be real proud of. However, now Texas could shed this image of having the nation's highest percentage of uninsured children; that is if the proposals that were advanced to the state Capital last week become a law. Within this law, one proposal would allow certain families who earn more than the income limit for the Children Health Insurance Program to join. Another would allow families to stay in Medicaid for a full year, rather than having to reapply every six months. CHIP could add about 80,000 children to the program and Medicaid could add 258,000 children to the federal-health insurance program.
Personally there are a whole lot of children out there who are uninsured and there should be something that needs to be done about it. I can definitely relate to this because growing up about half of my childhood I was basically uninsured and that can be a scary time. Sure everything will be all fine now when you're healthy but once you come down with something and need some medical attention, and you're also uninsured that's when things get real tough. There are families out there who doesn't qualify for CHIP or Medicaid, but with this proposal it just might give those families a chance of having their children insured and possibly maybe loosen up the restriction a little for CHIP. So hopefully this proposal does pass the state and becomes a law. Besides why should we punish the families who want their children to have a long healthy life?
Personally there are a whole lot of children out there who are uninsured and there should be something that needs to be done about it. I can definitely relate to this because growing up about half of my childhood I was basically uninsured and that can be a scary time. Sure everything will be all fine now when you're healthy but once you come down with something and need some medical attention, and you're also uninsured that's when things get real tough. There are families out there who doesn't qualify for CHIP or Medicaid, but with this proposal it just might give those families a chance of having their children insured and possibly maybe loosen up the restriction a little for CHIP. So hopefully this proposal does pass the state and becomes a law. Besides why should we punish the families who want their children to have a long healthy life?
Monday, April 20, 2009
Danger on the Road
In the latest blog from Our Texas Government, the author writes about the alternative of talking on the cell phone and driving. The author suggest we use things such as hands free device, but for those that can't afford a bluetooth, their cell phones already comes with a headset when you buy your phones. I totally agree with the author on this one because there are so many people out there that are getting killed out there because of distractions such as talking or even texting while driving. Hopefully the Texas Legislature will do something about this and make it safe for the other drivers to be out on the road.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Lawmakers Seeking to Ban Trans Fat in Restaurants
Obesity in the United States has significantly risen in the past few years. Even children are starting to be obese, if you go look at places like El Paso you'll see 200-pound fifth-grader and that's just not normal. If they keep it up then they'll be having risks for diabetes, stroke, and even heart disease, which is part of the reason why Texas lawmakers are now seeking to ban trans fat in restaurants. Trans fats, created when liquid oils are turned into solid fats, are found in shortening, margarine and partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
At the moment I work at a restaurant and I eat there everyday whenever I get off and now knowing what trans fat are and what it could do to my body, I'm glad that someone is finally trying to do something about it, besides this is also a step into making us a healthier nation which is a very good thing. What's just scary is that the portion of Texas adults obesity alone could increase from 28.8% next year to 42.6% by 2040. Since we're too lazy to do something about this ourselves, obviously now the Government has to step in and try to do something and hopefully this will be the first step into going towards the right direction, which is hopefully trying to decrease the obesity rate of the United States.
Some states such as California, New York City, Boston, and Philadelphia already will or already have similar bans. Now the House Committee on Public Health will take up the proposal in a public hearing on April 14, Lois Kolkhorst, the committee chairwoman, said she's going to be "keeping an open mind" on the subject. Let's hope that this will pass and help everyone jump start to a longer, healthier life.
At the moment I work at a restaurant and I eat there everyday whenever I get off and now knowing what trans fat are and what it could do to my body, I'm glad that someone is finally trying to do something about it, besides this is also a step into making us a healthier nation which is a very good thing. What's just scary is that the portion of Texas adults obesity alone could increase from 28.8% next year to 42.6% by 2040. Since we're too lazy to do something about this ourselves, obviously now the Government has to step in and try to do something and hopefully this will be the first step into going towards the right direction, which is hopefully trying to decrease the obesity rate of the United States.
Some states such as California, New York City, Boston, and Philadelphia already will or already have similar bans. Now the House Committee on Public Health will take up the proposal in a public hearing on April 14, Lois Kolkhorst, the committee chairwoman, said she's going to be "keeping an open mind" on the subject. Let's hope that this will pass and help everyone jump start to a longer, healthier life.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Keep Guns Out of Texas Schools
After looking around for something to write about, I came across this blog by Katherine Haenschen about how the Committee on Public Safety in the Texas House are considering passing a bill that would legally allow people to carry weapons inside Texas college classroom. She writes about how the bill is up for a hearing today, which if pass, will make it legal for anyone to have on campus. She then lists several ways to prevent this like contacting the committee members and joining fellow Texans at the capital to oppose the bill.
I would have to agree with Katherine Haenschen on this because the idea of having weapons on school ground is just crazy. There are probably a few places where guns would be acceptable but school is definitely a place where weapons should never be allow to even come close to school ground. Who knows if one day we might have some crazy suicidal massacre like at Virginia Tech, where a student killed about 32 people and injuring many before committing suicide. I really hope this bill doesn't pass because school is probably one of the few places where some students, like me, feel safe going to and if for some odd reason the bill does end up passing, then I know that there will be few students out there that will feel really uncomfortable going to school. Besides the only thing that a student should really be carrying are their homework and textbooks.
I would have to agree with Katherine Haenschen on this because the idea of having weapons on school ground is just crazy. There are probably a few places where guns would be acceptable but school is definitely a place where weapons should never be allow to even come close to school ground. Who knows if one day we might have some crazy suicidal massacre like at Virginia Tech, where a student killed about 32 people and injuring many before committing suicide. I really hope this bill doesn't pass because school is probably one of the few places where some students, like me, feel safe going to and if for some odd reason the bill does end up passing, then I know that there will be few students out there that will feel really uncomfortable going to school. Besides the only thing that a student should really be carrying are their homework and textbooks.
Monday, March 2, 2009
Ultrasound bill is an outrageous intrusion by the Texas Legislature
According to the Monday March 2, 2009 editorials, Senator Dan Patrick, the Houston Republican and one of the state’s leading culture warriors, is behind an anti-abortion bill which means that a pregnant women seeking an abortion will be force-fed information designed to humiliate them.
An ultrasound is already being performed on every woman seeking an abortion because it’s medically necessary. The anti-abortion information will be read to every woman before the procedure where the ultrasound information will be described in detail and an audible heartbeat. With Patrick’s bill the women could no longer refuse the anti-abortion information. Instead, the physician must describe to the women what the ultrasound shows, including dimensions, heart activity and limbs, and make the heartbeat audible. The doctor must display the ultrasound images and present the printed material, though the woman doesn’t have to look at it. The writer continues saying that the same week that the bill attempts to shame pregnant women out of an abortion, another bill was filed that aims to prevent teen pregnancies.
The writer seemed pretty upset about the anti-abortion information and how they really didn’t want to humiliate the person, instead education would probably be more effective in situations like this. He seemed really upset with how the legislatures are handling the whole situation. He then moves on talking about teen pregnancies saying Texas could save millions of dollars by preventing teen pregnancies.
I totally have to agree with the writer on this one, they shouldn’t have to humiliate women for their decision to do something, instead maybe educating them in that area would probably be more effective. And yeah some of the women out there are teens who are seeking abortion because they made a mistake but maybe educating them about abortion and preventing teen pregnancies will be more effective, and plus it’ll probably a whole lot easier than humiliation.
An ultrasound is already being performed on every woman seeking an abortion because it’s medically necessary. The anti-abortion information will be read to every woman before the procedure where the ultrasound information will be described in detail and an audible heartbeat. With Patrick’s bill the women could no longer refuse the anti-abortion information. Instead, the physician must describe to the women what the ultrasound shows, including dimensions, heart activity and limbs, and make the heartbeat audible. The doctor must display the ultrasound images and present the printed material, though the woman doesn’t have to look at it. The writer continues saying that the same week that the bill attempts to shame pregnant women out of an abortion, another bill was filed that aims to prevent teen pregnancies.
The writer seemed pretty upset about the anti-abortion information and how they really didn’t want to humiliate the person, instead education would probably be more effective in situations like this. He seemed really upset with how the legislatures are handling the whole situation. He then moves on talking about teen pregnancies saying Texas could save millions of dollars by preventing teen pregnancies.
I totally have to agree with the writer on this one, they shouldn’t have to humiliate women for their decision to do something, instead maybe educating them in that area would probably be more effective. And yeah some of the women out there are teens who are seeking abortion because they made a mistake but maybe educating them about abortion and preventing teen pregnancies will be more effective, and plus it’ll probably a whole lot easier than humiliation.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
State Blind School Undergoing Renovation
Should a Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired be renovated? Well according to this February 16, 2009 article from the Austin American-Statesman, that's exactly what they're doing. The school was first built in 1916 and is starting to experience some leakage, prone to floods and mold and simply can't be maintained any longer is going to undergo a $68 million dollar renovation, the money will be paid for with the state bond money. According to the construction plan, they are destroying 14 buildings and build 19 new ones and should hopefully be finished by 2011. The school will get a totally new layout, a new administration building, a conference center, 13 new dorms and new class building.
This story is definitely worth reading because it shows you how they're fixing up the school to make it a better learning environment for the visually impaired. Even though they're blind it doesn't mean that they can't have a healthy environment where they can learn just like any other student out there. Instead of being in an environment where they are challenged, they will get to be around more people who are just like them.
This story is definitely worth reading because it shows you how they're fixing up the school to make it a better learning environment for the visually impaired. Even though they're blind it doesn't mean that they can't have a healthy environment where they can learn just like any other student out there. Instead of being in an environment where they are challenged, they will get to be around more people who are just like them.
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