School shootings and killings are a problem just arising if we don’t stop it. Even just 10 years ago you would be able to count the about of schools killings. Today in 2014 they are happening every week. Just yesterday, April 28^th, a 16 year old girl from Connecticut was killed. A boy stabbed her multiple times in the stairwell because she said no to him asking her to prom. An innocent teenage girl died because she didn’t like a boy who wanted her to like him. The boy was so angry…

For this current event I read about an event that is more global. It isn’t right here in America exactly, but similar events happen here too. About 20 years ago 1 million Rwanda people were killed. Everyone remembers hearing about the Hutus and the Tutsis, which are two groups who are against each other. They have been fighting for years over social class and wealth. The life expectancy has doubled in the past 20 years, which is incredible. I choose this article because the title said,…

http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2014/05/sprawl-is-good-for-you-106494.html#.U2xM7PldWT8

This article addresses Urban Sprawl and the problem of traffic congestion in many cities- specifically in Atlanta. Many claim that building more public transit systems will help traffic flow well; however, according to this article, public transportation systems do not aid…

http://www.myfoxdfw.com/story/25305906/year-after-texas-plant-blast-no-new-safety-laws

The explosion in West, Texas continues to resonate throughout the state even after a year of restoration. Researchers claim that this explosion could have been prevented if the correct elements of caution would have been properly in place. Although zoning usually comes with a bad reputation;…

In this article, 2 brothers state their beliefs. They host a TV show that helps under privileged people buy houses and fix them up. The show is on HGTV. They say: "The first and last thought on our minds as we begin and end each day is: have we shined Christ's light today? Our faith is the fundamental calling in our lives, and the centerpiece of who we are. As Christians we are called to love our fellow man. Anyone who suggests that we hate homosexuals or people of other faiths is either…

It is truly sad the way our country has gone down hill to accept more and more things as ‘normal’ or ‘okay’ that are truly wrong and even sinful.  One of these things is the tragic killing of thousands and thousands of babies due to abortions.  As a Christian I can see how God views each and every human life as valuable and I can see how that is expressed so many times throughout the Bible.  God also makes it clear that life is sacred when he gave the commandment not to murder, however in…

In Travis County many professors and Attorneys have been protesting against a policy known as “Secure Communities or S-comm. “According to KHOU.com, federal immigration laws has been a huge deal in Travis County. Whether the policies they are implementing are constitutional or not, “4,600 people in Travis County were deported in the last four years because of this law.” (Tina Shively) The sheriff of Travis County will continue to enforce federal, even though that means separating families…

The tragic kidnapping of the 300 Nigerian schoolgirls by the terrorist group Boko Haram has shocked the world and has made many countries start to take action to help in the efforts to get the girls back.  This article doesn’t focus on the kidnapping itself though, but more so on how the actions we take here in America affect the rest of the world and mainly this terrorist group.  Now just like any other time when tragic events like this happen blame for who could have stopped it is thrown…

A teenaged girl was raped by a 20-year-old male, Sir Young, during the school day at Booker T. Washington High School while both were students.  She was 14 and he was 18.  The two both testified that she said “no” and “stop” several times before and during the rape.  The mother of a teenage rape victim will be filing a judicial complaint against the judge, Jeanine Howard, who gave her daughter’s attacker probation and publicly criticized the teenaged girl.  The mother, who is not being named…

     The topic of campaign finance has become increasingly interesting to me since my research paper was over this topic. Issues surrounding campaign finance and campaign contributions are extremely important in the current political environment in the United States. Not only is it important to know where campaign contributions originate in order to avoid conflict of interest type situations, but regulating contributions is imperative because these regulations are the very thing that limits…

     In chapter seven of Neal Tannahill's textbook Texas Government, Policy and Politics, election campaigns are discussed on page 161. Currently, candidates are campaigning for governor of Texas. Recently, Democratic candidate Wendy Davis accused Republican Greg Abbott of being involved in the CPRIT scandal that occurred two years ago.

     Davis claims that some of Greg Abbott's donors were receiving money from the CPRIT that was unlawfully obtained  She had a video…

Texas as a whole has been struggling with the issue of transportation. In the past twenty-five years our population has grown by 57% and the use of roads have grown by 95%. Congestion has grown as well and there needs to be a solution where people can travel to and from easily. 

Although there are not many funds to create more…

st179.pdf

The PDF attached explains the distribution of wealth in schools, otherwise known as the Robin Hood effect. The article specifically mention Texas and how they ruled the system as unconstitutional. The article looks at the Kirby case and how the Bill was established in 1991. As of right now the schools are financed into a three tier system, which…

The future of our citizens might be in danger due to the lack of bonds that children should be receiving from their parents at an early age.  A new analysis concludes that 40 percent of children are not getting that needed secure attachment, which family therapist Susan Stiffelman says comes through parents being attuned to their baby.  These bonds that so many babies are not getting with their parents can be detrimental to their success later on in life.  

Susan…

Marianne Follis, of Valley Ranch Library in Irving, Texas, is hosting the annual "Screen Free Week" this week to encourage children to turn off their screen (iPad, iPhone, TV, Computer, etc.).  This activity is relevant to this course because of a study that manager Sara Adelmann did.  She says that excessive screen time can be linked to poor school performance, childhood obesity and attention problems, and it's becoming more and more of an issue as tablets and smart phones become more…

http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2014/05/05/supreme-court-religious-minorities-dont-have-a-prayer/?hpt=hp_t3

In this article, it it is "Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy's advice for atheists and others who object to sectarian prayers before government meetings." In New York they are now starting to pray before meetings. They ruled this by majority…

     In chapter 14 of Neal Tannahill's textbook Texas Government, Policy and Politics, community policing is discussed on page 376. Community policing is basically this idea that if law enforcement is more involved in the surrounding communities and neighborhoods then there will be less crime in those areas. Well, recently an eight year old boy was hit and killed by a drunk driver while riding his bicycle in a neighborhood. According to the news clip, the child was on his way to his…

While studying local and state governments, it becomes obvious that people have differing viewpoints on what would help the economy. The question of minimum wage and how it would affect the economy and whether it would truly help alleviate those in poverty or just make things worse is being dealt with nationwide.

A recent article talks about how the Democratic party continues to seek to raise minimum wage up to $10.10, which would provide enough income for a person who is working full…

While browsing on the internet, I was immediately disturbed when I came across an article about a man being lethally injected in Huntsville, Texas.  The 44-year-old man, Ramiro Hernandez Llanas was convicted in 2000 for capital murder. During the time that he was being arrested, the police force officials failed to notify him of his rights to contact the Mexican consultant for assistance, which is required due to the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations.  Ramiro Llanas’ case raises right…

In a recent article/blog from August 2013, the city of Dallas claims to begin working to "ease traffic congestion". We can only hope! Every day, no matter what time, there is always at least one back up somewhere in the city.  Starting in October, transportation officials were supposedly going to introduce something called "Integrated Corridor Management (ICM) on highway 75.  The officials claimed that drivers will receive a more "reliable trip with less congestion".  I have to say as a…