Creationism?

Creationism is a huge diversity in education today; not to me! I agree with a classmate's blog about not teaching creationism. I was a bit confused, though, because in the same paragraph, the author says, “I believe students should be exposed to all sides of the evolution controversy”. Then they say, “I don’t believe that should be done because most scientists heavily favor and support the theory of evolutionism”. I agree with their second stance! Almost 100% of scientists “favor the unadulterated teaching of evolution in public schools”. They want to teach what they have been taught… I wonder why? It could be that they took science classes instead of theology or religion classes
If a parent wants their child to learn any topic not in public curriculum, they need to go elsewhere. Children go to afterschool activities everyday and that includes church; surly they could explain the whole creationism idea there.
I also agree that children should be exposed to new things, but who decides what should be exposed? So yes, expose your kids… at home. Why should we all learn about a Christian theory? Then we would have to learn the Hindu, Islamic, Jewish (and so on) theories of creation. I just think if you want your child to be taught about a religious theory, take them to church.
Science teachers are hired to teach science. Sunday school teachers are hired to teach religion. You cannot force someone to believe something… well you can but you shouldn’t. There are specialized schools all around and plenty of religious ones that are more than happy to teach creationism.

Ike Relief?

Since Friday November 21, 2008, there are at least 1,233 Texas Gulf Coast families living in FEMA mobile homes. Texas is supposed to receive $1.3 billion federal dollars for Hurricane Ike. It is reported that this amount of money is the majority of the planned $2.1 billion. The rest of the money is to go to other states in need and Puerto Rico.
Supposedly about sixty-six percent of families needing mobile homes are eligible. What about the other thirty-four percent of those people in need? Senators and governors are gossiping and arguing over Ike. Hutchinson is making false statements about relief and Perry is tattling. Perry is sick of asking for relief for over a year and a half now… I don’t like the guy, but I can feel his stress. Getting FEMA to do something is like convincing an Aggie you don’t have to peel M&Ms to get to the chocolate… they may never get it.
Literally an hour ago The Associated Press released this: “the federal government will pay Hurricane Ike debris removal costs in Texas for six more months, but Gov. Rick Perry's office said the extension is inadequate”. FEMA reports paying for seventy-five percent of debris cleanup and leaves the rest up to the states. Bush, though, has approved FEMA to pay one hundred percent of the cleanup costs.
I don’t like the two men but what they are fighting for is legit and will affect thousands of people’s lives. The people that are being helped claim that FEMA has treated them well and has been providing them his necessities. Hopefully everyone can feel more secure with the supposed upcoming help from FEMA.


The Texas legislative session regularly meets the 2nd Tuesday of January of each odd numbered year. So in January 2009, Hurricane Ike will be a big part of the discussion. Literally an hour ago The Associated Press released this: “the federal government will pay Hurricane Ike debris removal costs in Texas for six more months, but Gov. Rick Perry's office said the extension is inadequate”.

Yay AISD Prop 1!

I don’t think I could have put it any better… but I will add on to the editorial titled Proposition 1. Vote Yes from the 'Knowing Your Neck of the Woods' blog. I find myself to be bias on the issue of pay increase for teachers since I am going to school to become one. None of us would be in this class if it weren’t for K-12th grade teachers and grade schools. Pay sucks already and benefits are okay… anyone who teaches these younger grades, hopefully, isn’t in it for the money because its not there. Doesn’t really make sense to me?
We can prevent some strain on these good people since the AISD Proposition 1 did pass in the 2008 Texas elections. It will not only help teacher salaries, but also increase health benefits and pay for educational programs. The Proposition even covers gas for school buses.
Today teachers in Austin make about $43,000 a year. This means about $3,550 a month. With rising gas prices, mortgage rates, and everyday item prices this sounds like nothing. I tried to figure it out and imagined being a single mom, who teaches, with a two-year-old child; she and her son live in a two bedroom, one bath apartment for a little over $500. Then you have gas and electric bills that could easily add up to, lets say, $200 a month. Then you have to put your child in a daycare, which is insanely expensive. After looking at some daycares, I picked one of the best nationally accredited preschools; for the class of two and three year olds, the cost a month would be $800. You need gas to get your child places and get yourself to work… $40 a week. Groceries? Groceries are more expensive when having to buy things for an infant. 

Also there are always odd things that are necessary to get around Austin that require money. Statistics say you should expect at least $1000 a month on your child for things like diapers, food, doctors…
After all this, the teacher is left with a little money to spend on other necessities that people can go without if they really have to: clothing, phone bills, education payments, car payments…
If we do not continue to support our Austin teachers, they will move their business and teach in another higher paying district, which is exactly what is happening. Hopefully the Proposition will encourage teachers to stay where they love, Austin.

I enjoyed the author's writing and agreed with what they had to say.  It was brief enough to understand their point of view and share facts about the Proposition.

Vote No on Proposition 2

Underneath the national elections, there are lil’-ol’ Texas’s elections. Some of the things you vote on during the election are about our state; one in particular is Proposition 2; this is described by The City of Austin as: Shall the City Charter be amended to prohibit the City from entering into future agreements to provide financial incentives in connection with the development or redevelopment of property that includes one or more retail uses, and to stop the City from providing financial incentives under certain existing agreements in connection with the development or redevelopment of property that includes one or more retail uses.
Proposition 2 has been confusing for many citizens, and for a while there, that included me. Do you vote yes or no? Don’t we want to “Keep Austin Weird”? But then don’t we want to keep promises we have made as a city? Ugh… There are voters voting that have no clue what the Prop 2 represents.    
If you vote yes, you are voting to cancel a contract we made with big businesses, including The Domain development, for tax incentives to build here.
If you vote no, you are voting to keep that promise and allow these incentives for The Domain and other perspective businesses.
So, the controversy is that a tax incentive for these businesses means more big businesses possibly taking over “ma” and “pa” stores. When I thought about this, Wal-Mart on Anderson Lane came to mind. That situation pissed me off and this is what I thought the proposition was talking about. What’s really happening is if we do vote yes, we are breaking a promise made years ago; that would bring a bad reputation for Austin. The Stop Domain Subsidies group wants you to vote yes to prevent economic development and stop tax rebates for places like The Domain.
Because of these incentives, certain communities are and will be able to have lower mortgages by having retail businesses wanting to develop in their neighborhood; the Mueller Neighborhood is a project and sector that has financial assistance paid to them because of retail development. This subsidy encourages businesses, sales, and people to come that otherwise would not have been drawn there.
Austin Mayor Will Wynn asks us voters to vote NO on PROP 2 and I agree with him and will be voting no.  Now that I have done some research and proposed it to you, I am ready to early vote!  You should be ready soon too...

Money, Money, Money

I read an article from the Burka Blog titled, Why did the GOP cut almost $900,000 from Lampson challenger Pete Olson.
The article is about Texas Congress candidates and the funding they have, or in Pete Olsen’s case, don’t have. Pete Olsen wants to be the U.S. Representative for Texas and take Nick Lampson’s, the democratic incumbent, place. Olsen feels betrayed by the NRCC, National Republican Congressional Committee, because they cut their planned spending of Olsen’s campaign. Olsen expected a little less than $1.5 million dollars. Instead he was cut off at about $600,000 leaving $900,000 out of his campaign.
The author of the article believes they cut the funds for several reasons. One, polls show Pete Olsen ahead of Nick Lampson in the race. So, spending money on him would be a waste if the outcome is pretty much already determined. I agree. The article also says that Olsen was already planning on spending his own money for the homestretch anyway.
The author attended the senatorial debate in Dallas and asked some of Cornyn’s people how things were going. They responded, “it’s within the margin of error”. It is a close race. Another reason, says the author, is that it is cheaper to campaign for incumbents and that keeping incumbents in office is the NRCC’s 1st priority.
These priorities are the races between John Culberson (incumbent R) v Michael Skelly (D) and Michael McCaul (incumbent R) v Larry Joe Doherty (D). Because McCaul won by small numbers in 2006, it seems more money would be spent by the NRCC on him rather than Olsen.
I feel the author is very straightforward and relies on facts and news to write their story. The majority of the article is an insert from another article from a website called RedState. The author uses the information to give sarcastic and small clues about their stance: Democratic. The article is meant for readers to understand the financial issues happening behind the races of Texas.
I like the author, but felt they could have put more insight into the article since it is a blog and not a mainstream way of news. I think some more sarcasm would have pushed that Republicans suck!

Home Sweet Home for Perry?

After reading a commentary in the Austin American Statesman by John Kelso, my feelings about Rick Perry… well, stayed the same. He blatantly calls you stupid in the first paragraph if you don’t agree that supposedly Perry is over reacting about his move while the Galveston victims are moving back. Kelso makes fun of the fact that Perry moved to Lost Creek while his other home, the Governor’s Mansion, was being remodeled; now he has to wait longer for the arson damage to be repaired.

Kelso writes commentaries and has a column named: Kelso’s Cranky Corner, which is pretty hilarious. His short and to the point bio is: “The court jester of South Austin, humor columnist John Kelso, offers these words of ... well, um ... words.” He makes it very clear throughout his commentaries he loves Austin and is writing for “Austinites”. So not much clue about his credibility, but I like him!

Kelso claims that Perry is living in a 4,602-square-foot home and at the house he is in now until his actual house is renovated, has a 1,100-square-foot guesthouse. Kelso wonders why there were so many evacuees sleeping on floors and not in that guesthouse? The columnist uses a lot of sarcasm, something I like: The Perry family also suffered during the hurricane and had to get in “a great big car with air conditioning and power windows and then travel 14 miles from their home southwest of town to get to downtown Austin”. Kelso reports that the state is paying Perry’s $9,900-a-month rent! 

Evacuees, on the other hand, expect “Rodents, raw sewage, a curfew and no electricity. 

When Perry returns home, he faces the possibility of the new carpet not matching the drapes.”

Noriega vs. Cornyn aka Small vs. Big Money

After reading an article from Austin American Statesman titled, "Noriega Promotes Military Past in Texas Senate Race", I learned more about the Texas Senate candidates.

Behind the national elections, are our state elections. It is hard to say which is more important but one thing is for sure… John Cornyn will not change anything if, and probably when, he is reelected for Senate. He has a long past with President Bush and has voted with him more that 90% of the time. Cornyn has spent about $9.4 million dollars.
This article is important because it outlays some of Senate candidate Rick Noriega’s choices and opinions. He has the liberal idea to end the war in Iraq which goes against Cornyn’s beliefs. This is just one of the issues the two candidates differ in.
Although Cornyn is pretty far in the lead, Noriega hopes that undecided voters will take more interest.  Also this time around, Bush cannot help Cornyn like in 2002.
I urge my friends, which I found very difficult, and family to pay attention and vote. A majority of my friends aren’t even registered to vote; they are plain stupid people. Noriega could have a better chance if more people listened.