So the culture wars continue...

Texas to Dissociate with American Library Association over Alleged Marxism, Gender Ideology

Is this really the way to go, Houston?

HISD to eliminate librarians and convert libraries into disciplinary centers at NES schools

"I just couldn't imagine that it could happen so quickly. I don't understand why this current administration doesn't see the value of libraries and what they do for literacy and reading," Hall said. "Libraries are much more than just books. It's about helping match the reader to the right book at the right time. By talking to the student, you can find a direction to meet their needs."

Former library spaces at some schools will be converted into rooms where students who misbehave will be relocated to watch lessons virtually, work alone, or in groups with differentiated lessons. Books will remain on shelves and students will still be able to borrow books on a honor code system.

Despicable

This young man died in June 2022 of severe heatstroke, while his supervisor insisted it must be drugs and asked for a drug test when medics arrived. His family, of course, was devastated. A recent bill was passed in Texas and signed by Gov. Greg Abbott that nullifies any ordinances that require companies to allow a water break every four hours. Let that sink in. San Antonio did not have such an ordinance at the time of his death but was considering it when the bill was passed. He died in temperatures above 100 degrees Fahrenheit with at least 75% humidity. His internal body temperature was 109.8 degrees F. He was only 24 and had just started working there. I am so sorry for his family, as well as Joshua Espinoza, his friend who tried to save his life. I'm sure it's been hell. I hope the company and any others who deny such basic requirements are sued till they are bankrupt.

RIP Gabriel Infante

Texas worker accused of being on drugs was actually dying of heatstroke

So sad

Sandeep Dhaliwal: Texas mourns 'trailblazing' Sikh sheriff's deputy

He was shot from behind at a routine traffic stop. No motive is known yet, but a suspect is in custody, but he had permission to wear his turban and beard on duty, so one does wonder whether it was directed towards him as a peace officer or him as a Sikh. There are lots of people out there who are anti-Muslim who see the turban and misidentify Sikhs as Muslim, because let's face it, hate is partly based on ignorance and stupidity.

Oh, man, how not to start out Thanksgiving

Report: 80 injured in 50-car pileup in Texas fog

I can so understand how traumatic this can be right at the holidays. My thoughts and prayers are with the people involved.

Sometimes Mother Nature just needs a hand

Texas Tail Saves Florida Panthers, for Now

In a rare story of conservation success, a last-ditch effort to save the Florida panther has slowed, if not reversed, the marvelous animal’s decline.

Fifteen years ago, America’s last eastern panther population had shrunk to several dozen individuals, riddled with genetic defects and too inbred to survive much longer.

Conservationists introduced eight female panthers trapped in Texas. Between 1995 and 2003, the newcomers bred with native cats; as described in a September 24 Science study, the gene pool was replenished. The Florida panther’s future is hardly assured, but it certainly looks better.

(There's an adorable picture of three cubs in the article.)

I meant to post about this earlier

I'm at odds with at least one friend of mine. I heard this story whilst he was watching TV on Tuesday. There are some mitigating circumstances that are in this article that I didn't hear then, but on the other hand, I still believe this was murder--cold-blooded, possibly racially-motivated, murder. It reads like a 'bubba' bagging him some (fill in whatever racial epithet bubbas might use here).


Shootings Test Limits of New Self-Defense Law

And I quote the 911 operator in the case: 'Ain’t no property worth shooting somebody over, O.K.?'

Okay, so the two men were illegal immigrants from Colombia here under forged documents. They were certainly burglars--they had a pillowcase full of over $2,000 in Mr Horn's neighbours' property. These were obviously not 'Good Men'. But they were also apparently shot in the back running away from him--and were unarmed. In any other state in the Union I suspect that it's considered murder once no one is in imminent danger. But this happened to be Texas, and that's a whole other ballgame.

A grand jury's going to have to sort out, for example, whether you can act with deadly force to protect a neighbour's property like you can your own. And then there's the race issue.

Mr Horn identified them on the line as black. He offered to get his shotgun and then told the operator, who was trying to convince him to stay in his house, that he was going out there and kill them--not stop them: kill them.

In another twist, a plainclothes detective had just arrived on the scene and witnessed the shooting but did not have enough time to announced his position and in fact may have ducked to avoid Mr Horn, thinking he might think he was their driver.

Because of this there have been protests both for and against, and at least one death threat. The city is moving to ban protests in the residential area, which may be for the best, since I'm sure it's causing havoc--and certainly the death threat is wrong and should be pursued. But there's lots of other ways to express First Amendment rights, and people are entitled to their opinions. Many hail Mr Horn as a hero. I'm not one of them. I think there's something wrong with eagerly grabbing your firearm to 'help out' the police and shooting people in the back. I think anyone in a moment of adrenaline can think they're in danger, but he was safe in his house and made that clear to the operator. It didn't sound like he thought his neighbours were in danger--just their property. Property can be replaced--lives can't. And vigilantes don't make us any safer--especially 'helpful' vigilantes with guns.

Sick

Words fail me to comment fully on this story and what should happen to those involved.

Mom Describes Killing Girl, 2

I cannot understand how anyone could beat a two year old severely, plunge her in water repeatedly, throw her across the room to impact tile, cause three skull fractures, and then put her body in a plastic container for a couple of months before finally disposing of it in Galveston Bay. Texas authorities had been looking for the identity of the child since her body washed ashore last month. The mother and her companion, who have been arrested (the father lives in Ohio and was not involved), met online through World of Warcraft. Seems to me they could't tell the difference between an innocent child and a monster to be hacked apart. Their mug shots are a little chilling in terms of expression--it's like there's no soul there.

Riley Ann Sawyers' life and potential were taken away from her by sick acts of violence. I can only hope she is at peace and that when she is reborn, it will be to loving parents who will cherish the precious life of a child.