Metal detectors should be used daily in schools

Gun usage in the schools are starting to become a major concern. There has been an increase in school violence and the people in the community are starting to worry about their kids safety. Everyday more and more weapons have been found in schools and the safey of our children has been put in jeopardy. The majority of the schools in the United States do not use metal detectors on a daily basis. There hasn't been a proven number of schools using metal detectors, but the use of etal detectors on a daily basis has been limited to large urban schools with a history of weapon related issues. Using metal detectors on a day to day basis in schools are not mandatory but an option. So the question that still remains, are metal detectors in school necessary and should all school use metal detectors to improve school safety. Parents the media and other caring citizen are starting to have concerns aouth the safety of their children while they are at school. Most schools don't even consider the use of metal detectors until after high-profile incidents of school violence, such as school shootings or stabbing occur. What happened to prevention and the safety of our kids while they are at school? Why should a parent, sibling, or friend loose a love one before schools take the necessary precaution to protect their students. Its understandable that parents want some type of assurance that when they send their children to school their children will be safe. The fact that the school is using metal detector will some what put their minds at ease. The understand that metal detectors will not stop school violence a 100% but the metal detectors will help reduce some of the violence. Children most often spend the majority of their day at school. They not only come to school to learn but they also spend time wth their friends and to socialize. If students as well as the staff members don't feel safe at school, their education will also suffer. School should be considered a safety nest for our children and they shouldn't have to worry about life and death while they are at schhol. Metal detectors can really be effective in preventing some of the school violence that's happenening today. These devices helps to reduce the amount of knives and firearms that kids are bringing into the school building. In a study it was proven that students who attended a school that used metal detectors daily were half as likely to carry a gun, knife, or any other weapon to school as students who attended schools without metal detectors. Metal detectors can be a very valuable item to use inschools to help reduce the school violence. School violence has taken over the school and its up to the community to step up and do what's most important, make our children's safety our number one priority.

TN Child Support Enforcement

Child Support Enforcement for the State of Tennessee, it is sometimes hard to figure out whom to go to for help. Some things the county in which the child support was award has jurisdiction except if you have it put in your decree that you want another county to handle it. Then you have the State of Tennessee Department of Human Services that have a department that is supposes to help you with collecting child support. I know Shelby County has a company that they use to help collect child support. Though it seems that Shelby County is starting to figure out that the company is not doing such a great job at collecting it. I guess if you compare Memphis to some other counties that they are doing a decent job. When I started getting child support my divorce was in another county my lawyer had it put in the child custody agreement that Shelby County Courts were to oversee any problems or changes in child support because they had a better track record than the county I was divorced in. In The Daily News, February 8th issue they are reporting that child support payment have dropped by about 13 million dollar in the last half of 2009 compared to the last half of 2008. We must take into account the recession that is going on and that some of this is caused by parents without jobs or now working jobs that don’t pay as much. Tennessee 1996 implemented a law that would allow the delinquent parents to have their driver license, professional license, and hunting and fishing license to be revoked. In September, of 2000 they reported that they mailed notices to 11,000 parents that were delinquent on their child support. In November they ended up revoking driver licenses of approximately 1,300 for non-payment. Of those revoked during these round 31% was Shelby County. This was reportedly the highest number since the program started. The major of these were men as about 90% of the delinquent parents are men. Some people will things are a little strange like revoking the privilege to hunt in the State of Tennessee. Unless something has change I don’t think Tennessee talks to Mississippi or Arkansas, but I guess doing this is better than what they had been doing. I do think Tennessee has made some improvements to collecting child support, but as with most Government agency they are slow to react to changing situations as with dealing with the effects of the recession and unemployment and collection of child support.

Uninsured Motorist

Is anyone outraged about the uninsured motorists in Tennessee?  In our day and age, automobile insurance is a necessity, not a luxury.  If you drive, get insured!  There are too many motorists driving around without automobile coverage.  This causes motorist with insurance to pay the price for uninsured motorist.  Automobile insurance is not enforced in the state of Tennessee.  If you are pulled over for a traffic violation you’re asked for license, registration and proof of insurance.  If you do not have proof of insurance the only thing that may happen is that you are given a citation.  This needs to change!  In the state of Georgia if you are stopped and you do not have proof of insurance you got to JAIL.  I think if Tennessee would become stricter on their insurance laws more people would become insured and stay insured.  When someone purchases an automobile it is required that insurance is purchased in order to take it off the lot, but once you leave if you do not pay it the next month the insurance is canceled and people continue to drive around uninsured.  Uninsured and underinsured motorist are both optional in Tennessee. The idea behind uninsured motorist insurance is to protect the persons who do have insurance from drivers who do not have liability insurance. If the consumer (Joe) injures another driver (Bob), and Bob doesn’t have insurance, Joe’s insurance carrier pays for Bob’s injuries. However, if Bob who is uninsured hits Joe and Joe suffers serious injuries?  More than likely, Joe is not going to recover a dime from Bob.  So when Joe pays his premium each month for the $25,000 liability policy, he is also getting the protection of uninsured motorist coverage.  In this case the responsible party Joe has to pay for irresponsible drivers like Bob.  An example of underinsured motorist would be responsible Joe is insured with an insurance policy with limits of $100,000 with the same amount of uninsured motorist coverage $100,000.  When Joe becomes involved in an accident with another driver (Susan) who is insured but she only has $50,000 of liability coverage.  In this case Susan is responsible for causing the accident.  Joe’s damages consisted of $75,000, which leaves Joe’s insurance company to pay the remaining $25,000 because Susan is underinsured.  The only way for Joe to recovery any of his losses is to sue the uninsured and underinsured motorists.  If Joe sues and wins he still may never receive a dime from either motorist.  Why should responsible Joe have to pay for irresponsible motorists in Tennessee?  Why does it appear that policies are made to protect the people who do not follow the policies?  I’m not sure about how you feel but I am tired of paying insurance premiums to protect myself from irresponsible motorists.

Gun rights for felons.

The second amendment of the United States' constitution in the section of the United States Bill of Rights, adopted on December 15, 1791 states that it is the right for all American citizen to bear arms. That is the legal right of every american citizen. In fact, this is the way our forfathers have put it: " A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed." However, Federal law prohibates anyone convicted of a crime punishable by a year or more of imprisonment to possess, handle and even transport a firearm. This provision of the law; 18 U.S.C. 922(g) strictly prohibates any felon to own a firearm in and/or outside his/ her residence. To that provision, are some exceptions. I think in my opinion that non violent offenders should not have their second amendment right stripped away from them. We live in the United State, where there is a gun on almost every block, legaly or not. Therefor, I believe non vio;ent offenders should keep the right to bear arms after paying their debt to our dear society. I also believe that the provision is broad and overly narrow: I will say that because, the general proscription of the section 922(g) is not limited to just felons; by its trems, the provision forbides not jsut felons but anyone convicted of a crime punishable by an imprisonment for a term exceeding one year to own a firearm or ammunition whether the crime is a felony or not. Also section 921(a)(20)(B) limits the impact of this provision on misdemeanors by defining the punishment. In fact let's not forget that the 18 U.S.C. 921(a)(20)(A) expressly exempts certain white collar felonies such as antitrust or unfair trade practices. In my opinion, this second amendment provision should be revised and the interpretation change.

Mid-South Fairgrounds Re-development- a sentimental view

The Mid-South Fairgrounds is a site in Memphis that is packed with historical and sentimental value. However, a lot of the fun and allure of the fairgrounds has gone away, because of the shape that it is in at the present time. Several of its wonderful buildings have been abandoned and the parking lots and streets have been left unattended for years causing the area to look and feel outdated. But the fairgrounds I know were full of memories of innocent times when I was young and had my whole life in front of me. I want to propose a revitalization to this area so future generations can enjoy all the fun and history that the Mid-South Fairgrounds can give. Some of the fondest memories I can remember are of when the Fair came to town. My family and I would go to the Mid-South Fairgrounds every year just to visit, ride the fair rides, and to eat the wonderful food. My favorite fair food is the Philly cheese-steak sandwich, I would usually eat two or three of those every trip we made to the fair. My Mom had to get a famous fair corndog and she would be set for the whole year food-wise, until the next fair of course. I would spend all of my money and most of my parents playing all of the games and come away with my 2 dollar stuffed animal that I won. But the fair has moved on to another location and is no longer at the fairgrounds. All that remains in its place is an empty parking lot and some old decaying buildings. The Mid-South Fairgrounds need to be re-developed so that I can bring my own family back there again, so we can start making our own fond memories. But bringing the Fair back to town is not the only reason to re-develop the fairgrounds, it is such a historic part of our beloved city that has just gone to waste. Something should be done to revamp this whole area. So much history is being left to rot away like some unwanted garbage. For instance, the Mid-South Coliseum is one such place full of history and nostalgia. So many famous bands performed concerts there that it could be a music hall of fame in itself. Bands like The Beetles and Elvis Pressley performed on this historic stage on any given night. I remember going to wrestling matches at the Coliseum and seeing wrestlers like Hulk Hogan and Jerry " The King" Lawler battling it out in the "squared circle." Before Memphis had the Memphis Grizzlies NBA team, professional basketball was a part of the history of Memphis. The old ABA team, the Memphis Pros played professionally at the Coliseum and called it home. A couple of years during the 70s, the Coliseum held the ABA championship. And of course the Memphis State Tiger basketball team called it home for decades until the Pyramid came along. Legendary Memphis basketball players like Larry Finch and Keith Lee held the city in awe as they flashed their greatness on the basketball court. The heart of the Mid-South Fairgrounds needs to be kept in tact, I propose a complete renovation of the Coliseum. It should be brought up to code and made handicap accessible. The City of Memphis would then be able to bring back concerts to the area and boost the economy of this area of Memphis. The next thing I would propose is to create a new football stadium in this area. To make room for the stadium, they could take down Tim McCarver Stadium which is not being used and use that space plus the parking lot to put a new stadium in. Once the new stadium has been built, the old Liberty Bowl stadium can be taken down, and more parking could be put in for the Coliseum and the new stadium. I think the re-development of the Mid-South Fairgrounds should be a priority for the city government. Except for a few football games a year, the fairgrounds is wasted space. Gone are the days of concerts and the annual Fair. They have shipped out to new, updated venues. The city council has to make sure that they renovate this site to be used again in the future. If not the Fair, at least some new performing arts. I'm sure there are people in this city like me that would love some more culture in their lives and do not want to travel downtown to find it. If you would like to learn about other proposals for the Mid-South Fairgrounds, you can find it here http://midsouthfairgrounds.org/index.html

Foreclosures.....is there an end in sight?

It seems these days that everyone is talking about foreclosures. You can’t turn on the news without hearing about the rise in home foreclosures or the drop in the housing market. I didn’t pay much attention to it because I do not own my own home. Home foreclosures became a topic I learned very quickly when I got a job in a law office that handled bankruptcy and foreclosures for the banks. Yes, the banks, the evil institutions that the tax payers have to keep bailing out on a seemingly regular basis. One cannot realize the sheer magnitude of home foreclosures until you spend one day answering phones in a law office that forecloses on homes. It is heart breaking at times and the urge to become bitter is overwhelming. A lot of people got into this mess because they bought a home with an adjustable rate mortgage. For those that don’t know what that is, here’s a quick lesson. Basically you start out with a very small interest rate and then suddenly after 6-8 months, even a year, the interest rate explodes and your $600 a month house payment suddenly becomes $2000 a month. Other people lose their homes due to a job loss, illness, or other “life happens” moment. I’ve heard stories about people losing their job, having cancer, getting divorced or just getting in way over their head. For some people it is a relief to have their home taken away, for others it is devastating. When things go bad for a large number of people the government seems to step in and try to fix it. I use the term fix lightly. Right now in the state of Tennessee there is a law that was recently passed that basically makes the bank and/or firm handling the foreclosure give the mortgagor 60 days notice before they begin the foreclosure process. What that really means is that the bank and/or law office can’t set a date to sell your house on the courthouse steps for 60 days. The government has also taken action in encouraging loan modification companies. These are the people who you give your last $1000 and take their word that they will negotiate with your bank for a new rate and lower payments. There is a government website that promotes these loan modification companies. Here’s the problem: they are not regulated. No one is watching over these companies and quite a few of them have taken the money and ran. People call me to find out that their home was sold at auction and that the loan modification company took their money and they are now left with no money and no home. Neither one of these “government” solutions seem to be working. A lot of people don’t know that the bank WANTS you to keep your home and most times will work out a loan modification with you directly. The media and government are still painting the banks as being the bad guys. Is there a way to fix foreclosures?? At first I thought so but after this week I’m starting to wonder. A typical week at the firm brings in roughly 50 foreclosure referrals. This week I had right around 300 referrals cross my desk. Maybe there isn’t an end in sight. There isn’t really a win-win situation. The banks need their money and it seems that the people who go into foreclosure don’t have any money. The banks can’t certainly say “Oh well, maybe next month” or “ Don’t worry about it, we don’t need the money”. Hopefully we will hit bottom soon and things will start to go up. Will foreclosures ever end?? Probably not. Will they be this severe forever?? Let’s hope not.

Are red-light camera's worth the costs?

I'm wondering the the $30K/month to have six "red-light" cameras in the city of Murfreesboro, TN has been paying for itself. Paying off how? The monthly expense to city taxpayers? Is it cutting down on major accidents by those who think a yellow light means punch the accelerator? Although I haven't been caught, I must say that I go a lot slower approaching a traffic light, even if it is green and yes, my heart races when I slip up and do happen to 'gun it' at yellow, but those instances are becoming less frequent. The number of 'rear -enders' has increased though, so depending on your definition of 'major accident', I wonder if it's paying off. There have been lawsuits filed and won in our country that this is an 'illegal' practice as the picture taken is of the license plate and not the driver, so who's to say that it was me or you driving your car. Like a lot of things in life, it does have it's pro's and con's, what say you?

The Imam and the 9/11 Truther

The Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf is the man behind the "Ground Zero" Mosque. On 9/13 Bill O' Reilly broke the news on his show that the Imam has ties with Dr. Faiz Khan, a 9/11 Truther. A 9/11 Truther does not believe that we were attacked by terrorist and radical Islamists, they believe our government orchestrated the whole thing. This association between the Imam and Dr. Faiz Khan was a partnership in the American Society for the Advancement of Muslims. http://www.mediaite.com/tv/bernie-goldberg-tells-bill-oreilly-why-liberals-like-the-ground-zero-mosque The New York Post had this information and was publishing the article on 9/14/2010. This is a bad partnership , because Dr. Faiz Khan is so active in the 9/11 Truther organizations. The Imam is claiming to be a moderate and on a peaceful mission buliding this mosque , but at this location and being partners with a 9/11 Truther , that claims a government conspiracy, makes things seem awfully suspicious as to the intentions of this mosque in that location. http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/manhattan/imam_pal_is_nut_gPPtzFwetyaUlE3u4P4cKI The New York post had background information on Dr. Faiz Khan that lead to this discovery. Khan serves on the advisory of Muslims for 9/11 Truth and is also founder of the Muslim-Jewish Christian Alliance, for 9/11 Truth (MUJCA). On MUJCA's website , Khan wrote "the inescapable fact (is) that 9/11 was an inside job." He then states that 9/11 was a criminal mission not coming from 'militant Islam', although ' militant Islamic networks may have played a partial role. He suggests that their role may have been as a scapegoat. How could a moderate peace loving American ssociate such as, Iama Feisal Abdul Rauf, be partners with such an off kilter conspiracy theorist such as Dr. Faiz Khan? What does this make Americans think about the source of the "ground zero" mosque and its true intentions? Guilt by association is assumed when one has such ties. Do we really want a center for Muslim worship next to ground zero with such ties to an absurdly delusional person such as Dr. Faiz Khan? I say not. I did a research paper on the 9/11 conspiracy theorist and some of their cliams last semester. It is shocking to think that people actually believe that this is true. I am going to include this paper in this blog so that you can see the craziness that these preach daily. Module 7 Research Paper Refuting The 911 Conspiracy Theory July 17, 2010 Honei Macy Bowers ENTC 3030 Professor Jamie Pacton Introduction The main proposal by the 911 conspiracy theorists is that the Islamic Terrorists were pawns in a far more sinister plot that includes the United States highest official who aim to establish global socialist police state. (1) I intend to refutiate this proposal through highlighting the three main "smoking guns" that the 911 conspiracy theorists put forth as evidence of their claims , exposing the true nature of these events of this horrible tragedy. (2) The three "smoking guns" are as follows; thermite was used in demolition of the World Trade Centers as the plane attacks occurred, the National Institute of Science and Technology are covering up the Federal Governments involvement in the planning and execution of the attacks of September 11, 2001, and that President George W. Bush not only knew about the attacks but also had been in on the planning and its intended outcome. (1) Body 911 conspiracy theorists are convinced that thermite was present at the World Trade Centers, which is a chemical used for large demolitions. (1) "The major smoking gun here is the molten iron that was being dug out of the rubble over a month after the event. The only plausible scientific explanation for that is that thermite was involved, residues of which were also found in the rubble and dust. Thermite is used in controlled demolitions- planted ahead of time and controlled at the time of demolition.... The reason the government is not addressing this issue is because they were in on the execution of this attack." (Sterling D. Allan, September 12,2008) (1) The main evidences of the conspiracy theorists proposal of the thermite being used at the World trade Centers is that of yellow smoke being present, traces of thermite found in the rubble, and molten iron being dug out of the rubble and dust over a month after the event. (1) The yellow smoke and residue was left behind by the ironworker when cutting the columns at an angle so that they would fall in a certain direction during cleanup. No traces of thermite have ever been proven to be found in the aftermath of the World Trade Center destruction. (2) Thermite , generally, makes an ugly hole with molten drips/blobs. It does not make any clean cuts due to its chaotic burning pattern. (2) You would need tons of thermite to blow up one massive core column. (2). The National Institute of Science and Technology (NIST) is the next target of the 911 conspiracy theorists claim in the government cover up. (1) "NIST's role in 9/11 cover-up , established to be a pillar of scientific accuracy, the NIST has prostituted itself in the case of its role in helping the elements of the U.S. government to cover their tracks of culpability in the 9/11 tragedy." (1) According to the theorists, the NIST has become party to the 9/11 cover up, falsifying information, cooking the data, and otherwise acting in disregard to the ethics of science it is supposed to uphold and epitomize as the official body for the United States establishing standards of measurement. (1) " NIST is supposed to be the final word on measurement accuracy, but in the case of 9/11, they have prostituted themselves at the hands of their federal masters who are likewise involved in the cover up. they have thus become another tool in helping to establish a world socialist dictatorship under the control of a sinister, insider elite." (1) On August 2008, NIST published their findings that the World trade Center buildings came down "due to fire alone". Contrary to the Federal Government o official story supported by the NIST report, the 911 conspiracy theorists believe many facts point to controlled demolition of the World trade Center buildings 1,2, and 7. (1) On October 19, 2004 the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) released the latest findings from their World trade Center investigation. The NIST World Trade Center investigations goal is to recommend improvements in the way people design, construct, maintain and use buildings, especially high rises. (3) The report mainly contained: 1) The leading hypotheses for the collapse of WTC 1 and 2- chronological sequence of major collapse events. 2) Time delay between the collapses of the WTC towers explained WTC 103 minutes nearly twice as long as WTC 2. 3) Post-impact capabilities of the WTC towers assessed- demand to capacity ratios. 4) Fire-induced core column shortening detected. 5) First responder command and control was hampered-inadequate information dispersed. The assessments and evaluations of the buildings structural integrity were assessed post- impact. (3) The third and final aspect of the 911 conspiracy theorists proposal was that President Bush had a role and prior knowledge of the September 11 attacks . (1) A petition was filed against George W. Bush charged with high treason for complicity in the attack of 911 (Oct 14, 2003 by Sterling D. Allan). (1) The theorists believe that George W. Bush not only knew in advance , but had been in on its planning and its intended outcome. (1) "I was thinking about what it meant for America to be under attack. It was an amazing thought." President Bush recalling what he was thinking about while sitting with the children at Booker Elementary . (Oct. 2001, California). (1) Long before 9/11/01 the white House debated taking the fight to al-Qaeda. By the time they decided, it was too late. The transition between the Clinton administration and his National Security Advisor, Sandy Berger and the Bush administration and his new National Security Advisor, Condaleeza Rice proved very costly to the communication of the intelligence gathered in the years before concerning terrorism. (4) An aggressive plan to fight al-Qaeda was in the works at the end of 2000, especially fueled by the attack in Yemen on October 12, 2000. Unfortunately the strategy was shelved for the next administration to deal with and the Bush administration was in the midst of reevaluating when the September 11, 2001 attacks took place. (4) Conclusion Nobody predicted September 11th, how and when the attacks would come. The bureaucrats in Washington did know that a major terrorist attack against American interests was imminent.(4) The 911 conspiracy theorists believed that evidence shows that thermite was used for demolition of the World Trade Centers, the NIST is covering up the Federal Government involvement in the attacks, and President George W. Bush knew of the attack in advance and had been planning on its intended outcome. From all research and facts uncovered concerning the September 11, 2001 ; thermite was not present or evidenced in the rubble of the World Trade Centers, the National Institute of Science and Technology reports on the 911 tragedy are valid, and President George W. Bush had no prior knowledge and/or involvement in the planning of the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World trade Centers. (4) References (1) Patriot Saints for the Kingdom of God. "911 Conspiracy" http://patriotsaints.com/News/911/Conspiracy (2) Shagster, Scott S., and David B. Benson."Debunking 911 Conspiracy Theories, Exploding the Myths" http://ww.debunking911.com/thermite.htm (3) National Institute of Standards and Technology. "NIST's Role in 911 Conspiracy" http://www.nist.gov/index.html (4) Time Magazine."Before September 11th. The Secret History. They Had a Plan" http://www.time.com/time/covers/1101020812/story.html

Gun Control

Currently the Obama administration is trying to implement more gun control polices to Congress in order to make owning a firearm a long and tedious task. The Second Amendment is stated in the United States Constitution in the section of the United States Bill of Rights that was adopted on December 15, 1791 it is the right for all American Citizen to bear arms. The Bill of Rights is every Americans legal rights as a citizen of this country. Throughout the course of Americans existence many political parties and leaders have tried to implement new addition to many of the amendments in the Constitution in order to make their personal perversion of the rights our country was founded on. The fear is that the Country was founded to be a Republic, "Government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the Earth." - Abraham Lincoln, will be compromised and the government will start to control our way of life spinning our country into a socialist style government. With each new bill congress and the president passes is one more step in the wrong direction. With every new policy are new laws and with laws comes authorial action. Many of these actions are implemented by revoking of citizen’s original rights therefore leaving a American citizen bare of all legal right and in complete control of the government. Firearms are indeed dangerous and someone who owns one has an obligation to be properly educated and trained with the weapon. So with the current laws emplaced a possible buyer must be 18 years of age to purchase a rifle or shotgun, 21 years of age for a pistol, go through a background check to see if the buyer has been convicted of any felons, domestic assault or abuse, dishonorably discharged veterans from the military, illegal immigrants, anyone under indictment for felony charges, mentally ill or insane, and people with outstanding misdemeanor or felony warrants. I feel this process is important ensuring only those who are illegible are able to purchase a firearm. The Obama administration along with many other liberal politicians are wanting every firearm owner to register every weapon with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms so that the government knows of every weapon an legal law abiding citizen has. Failure to do so under these new policies will result in property searches without a warrant, confiscation of firearms, fines and possible jail time. Keep in mind this is apart of a process of a law abiding citizen takes. Nowhere in these new laws or polices is it making it any more difficult for someone who doesn’t live by the laws to obtain a firearm. So now in this society where a law abiding citizen is punished for following the laws its country has put into action can not own a firearm to protect himself from a transient citizen or non citizen who has obtained an illegal firearm and is now threatening their life. With each new stipulation on our original rights will result in more power to the government and less to the people. By disarming the citizen you are arming the criminals making it the governments responsibility to hire and train more police officers to protect the citizens. Lets take Chesapeake, VA 2009 statistics for an example, Population 222,455, Full time Police Officers 512. This putting 434 citizens to one police officer and patrolling a area roughly 340.7 square miles with a population density of 653 people per square mile. This is a large area and a large number of people for only 1 police office to be in control of. If we just keep the standards we have on gun control and actually enforced purchasing and carrying firearms will in turn instill fear to many criminals. With the fear of not knowing who may or may not be carrying. With this idea comes great responsibility to ensure proper education and training as stated earlier. But empowering the people with their original right to bare arms will make our country a safer place. Sources 1) Sands, Trent. “The Instant Background Check for Gun Purchasers”. Loompanics Unusual & Unique Books. Web. 2) Chesapeake, Virginia. Web.

Year Round Education

The year round education (YRE) issue has been around for many years. As of the 2006/2007 school year there were approximately 3,181 schools in 46 states in our nation utilizing some form of the year round school calendar. The four states that do not have any form of year round school calendar are New Hampshire, Maine, Mississippi and Wyoming. California, of course, led the nation with 1,322 schools operating on some form of the year round schedule, following by Hawaii with 296 and Arizona with 175. There are many issues to address when considering the year round school schedule. Some of the very first things that come to my mind are the top issue my daughters faced when switching from private to public schools in the last two years. The public schools in our district rank very high in the state for educational achievement, however both the high school and the elementary school are both operating at or beyond full capacity. The easy answer to that would be to build new schools but when the state is barely able to cover the funding to pay teachers it makes me wonder where they will come up with the money to build a few new schools, let alone furnish and staff them. Sure, they could raise taxes but in our economy I am sure I speak for many when I say “who can afford more taxes”? As a matter of fact, my younger daughter is attending the Elementary school. At the end of last year, the district announced that the new primary school would be opened in the fall of 2010, housing kindergarten through second grade. My daughter, who is in the 5th grade this year, would for the first time, be attending the Elementary school with only the third, fourth and fifth grade in it. The trailers would no longer be necessary. The lunchroom would no longer be overcrowded. The classroom size would be smaller. New facilities would be put in to place such as a new science lab. Well, here we are, some 6 weeks into the new school year and the primary school is still not completed. The classes are still overcrowded. There is no additional funding in the school budget for teachers so unless the classrooms are over 34 children each, they cannot hire another teacher. They do not have teacher’s assistants or aides to assist with so many children. My daughter’s class has 32 kids. The buses are overcrowded. At the beginning of October, the entire school will be uprooted as the younger grades move to the newly opened primary school and the older kids start switching classrooms. The school estimates it should take no more than one week to make “the move” but that is a full week of learning time for these kids. And maybe that doesn’t seem like a lot of time but to a child trying to learn the basic skills to pass these state standardized tests that are crammed down their throats all year long a classroom with 32 other children, those 5 days could be detrimental. For anyone that is not familiar with YRE I will start with a brief definition. Year Round School (YRS) are schools that restructure the traditional school calendar, August to June, to a calendar such that learning followed by vacations are spread throughout the entire year to make learning more continuous. These YRS do not add additional days to the standard 180 days of learning but instead just reorganize the days. Typically YRS use the single track with unified attendance or a multi-track with staggered attendance, or some combination of both. The single track provides the entire student body and staff the same school calendar with the same attendance days and vacation time. The multi-track divided the students and teachers into groups with staggered attendance days and vacation periods. Well, that leads me to the first of some of the many pros to year round school calendars. When the schools are overcrowded, a multi-track year round school schedule could possibly be the answer. New schools would not have to be built. These rickety little trailers that look like they would blow away during a hard wind storm we see outside our elementary school now would not be necessary. And of course, one of the key points in this is the money saved. According to research, Florida’s Marion County school system estimated a savings of more than $12 million in construction costs by switching to a multi-track year round school calendar. Imagine what could be done with $12 million dollars? That would pay quite a few teacher salaries and possibly some teacher assistants. Of course, the multi-track schedule does raise a lot of concerns for other reasons as well. If you have more than one child in school, there is no guarantee that they will both be on the same track in the multi-track system. Then my next issues are the research and statistics on summer learning loss. The teachers seem to spend the first six weeks of back to school giving refresher courses in last year’s learning. That’s like starting out behind. I know my kids always look forward to summer break but about three or four weeks into it they are bored and ready to go back to school. This topic came to my attention during this last summer and I have been very interested in finding out more about. I have read quite a bit about the topic and so far I must say that I am leaning toward being more of a proponent than an opponent to the YRS.

"e gov't" friend or foe?

"e government" friend or foe?

Unfortunately over the Summer I endured a serious accident while enjoying a day at the lake. While I thought that cliff jumping was a spontaneous yet safe thing to do was I ever so wrong. My 60ft free fall was the dumbest thing I have ever done! No, I didn't hit a rock and the water was not shallow, as I have been asked a hundred times, my ever so graceful fall caused me to tear my acl and multiple other ligaments in each knee. As I hit the water my knees bent and the harsh blow tore my knees to spaghetti. Now I was a 24 year old girl, working as a server full time to pay for college, and needless to say I was also uninsured. I bet you are thinking this blog is going to be about our public healthcare crisis haha it easily could be, but that would consist of writing a book! No, this blog is about another problem in our ever so evolving local government. Before my accident I never really had much of an encounter with our local government, only the local DMV that we all enjoy so much. Due to my problem with being uninsured I had to turn to the local government for help, not only did I need to find a doctor to do my surgery pro bono, but I also had bills to pay! The doctors and specialist I had dealt with, and friends just said go online and apply for SSI, disability, Tenn Care, food stamps, etc. So that is exactly what I tried to do, needless to say, going on the internet and applying for such help was not as easy as everybody made it seem! The navigational toolbars were useless and each site would send you to another site, that would send you to another, that would give me a phone number that I had to call several time before getting a human on the other end and ultimately was useless. Talk about frustrating and discouraging! So I would make appointments at DHS and Unemployment, wait for hours in a crowded room to be treated like a number, and ultimately got denied for any help because I am a full time female student without children, grrrrr. Anyway after blowing off some steam my point is that our local e government needs some work. The concept is great, some may argue that society is becoming so impersonal, but I think that being able to do certain things over the internet is an awesome idea. My primary concerns are that government websites need to be easily accessible, user friendly and secure. If these issues can be resolved, local citizens can enjoy the convenience of these sites, and spend less time waiting in frustrating places such as the DMV. As the semester goes on I look forward to resolving the e government issue.

is this working?

is this working??

TN Child Support Enforcement

This blog post will be in close relation to a previous blog in February 2010 regarding child support and justice. There are millions of cases all over the world that are somewhat comparable to one another. The difference in all of these cases is the mother and father involved and what type of character they portray. In most cases one parent always benefits more than the other, instead of the children being the ones benefitting from the current situation. To provide a real world example of a situation of this nature, we should get on a personal level. I have been and still am involved in a relationship with a Daddy of two small children. These children went through divorcing parents at the ages of one and four. These children are now four and almost eight. Over the past almost three years, it has been a very torturous situation for both their father and the children. The mother in this situation has refused to take a full time job, she lives with her mother and father and she goes to school at best part time. What about her situation is helping to better the lives of their children? While on the other end of this situation, dad travels all over to make a living, pays over a thousand dollars a month in child support, he receives every other weekend visitation and that is if she decides if she wants to bring them or not, on a consistent basis we have to purchase new clothing, new shoes, school supplies for our house to work with them, school supplies for school and the list goes on and on. Meanwhile, what is the child support for? The child support is set based both incomes and it is supposed to support the children in all aspects of life. When mom enrolls them in sports, part of her responsibility is to ensure they have the proper equipment to play, when mom fights to have them ¾ of the year, it is mom’s responsibility to have them dressed properly and in clothing the fits properly. The situation is this, no one forced her to take those children 285 days per year, that is what she fought for in order for her to be able to collect her child support check so she could continue to be a stay at home mommy and live the lifestyle she use to. When parents chose to become husband and wife and have children, should things not work out; it isn’t a matter of who can draw the most blood to bring the other parent down? It should be what can we do as parents to our children to make sure that they have the most normal and sufficient life as possible. Most often times rulings are made based on the bad raps of parents. It is sad that each case can’t be decided on because of it uniqueness, it has to be decided on because of the history of this cycle. Sadly enough, during custody battles and child support calculations, the children are never the ones that are discussed. For the most part, one parent is angry at the other and they want nothing more than to use their child or children to control the situation and the other parent. I am not going to point fingers at either parent for doing something of this nature because often times both parents are trying to do it to each other. The judge in most cases makes an emotional decision because one parent has played on the judges emotions and the custody ends up in I feel as “what the judge would want to happen to he/she.” What the most unfortunate part about this is, there are really no laws on certain situations. All of these parenting time decisions are based on an individual’s emotions toward this situation, not what is most beneficial and realistic for the children. I hope is that some day, this will all change. I hope the change is that each parent receives a fair chance to parent their child the best of their ability until they are proven that they aren’t fit enough to do so. Maybe one day, justice will be served!

Technology Crisis?

Is it just me or no one seems to care about the fact that technology is overrated? I mean, don't get me wrong, I like the internet, cell phones and all, but people tend to rely on these things far too much now. Just the other day, I was talking to an individual who looked at me as if I was from another planet when I said, "I don't have a cell phone (number)." It's as if no one wants to relay messages to you if you don't have a number that they can text all day. What's that all about? Then, if a person DOES have a cell phone without unlimited text messaging, they're looked down on. Is it just me or does no one leave voice messages anymore (besides doctors' offices)? Another issue at hand is Facebook, MySpace and all. Everyone now has these favorite phrase, 'Facebook me'. No one says, 'call and/or email me' anymore. Even phone, utility, and other bill payment companies are relying so much on technology that it's difficult to actually talk to a human being. Even though a human being MAY be available they are in an entirely different country etc. So, because of all of this and other technology issues, I tend to wonder 'what if': What if the entire technology culture/world suddenly fails? Then what? There would be no (accurate) access to accounts etc. There would be no retrieving of saved documents since most paperworks are done electronically now. Are we prepared for the damage that would be caused? Are we prepared for lost (highly) important documents? Personally, I say 'technology is great', but 'it isn't excellent nor is it as dependable as it seems'. Am I overly old fashioned? Behind the times? What do you think of our technology culture and it's (future) crisis?

"Justice At A Later Date"

The various comments made concerning the Tennessee Child Support System are remarks that I am familiar with. In my case I truly believed that my child's father would be willing to take care of her. So often, during my pregnancy he reassured me that he would provided for her and be the perfect father. Once she was born, he chose not to comply with the responsiblities he had agreed too. For him, helping with necessary items such as diapers, milk, tempra drops (for pain) and even clothes for her had become a problem for him. You know, I could see if he did not have a job. But he was working and living with his parents, as well. However, because he had become so reluctant in providing any support for her. I began to receive government assistanc for my daughter from the Tennessee Department of Human Services. My next move consisted of a trip to the Juvenile Court seeking help for my daughter. Fortunately, this trip was a success. And the statements made in reference to the father reimbursing the government for monies allocated for the child prior to the child receiving support, is true. Once that money has been paid back monthly payments began for the child from the father. For about a year, she received under a hundred dollars a month, WOWEE!!! However, when I learned how the child support system operates, I filed for an increase. This was handled by both of us having to appear in court. When the judge set the increased amount, her father responded by saying that he had other bills. The judge's response was, I guess you have made other bills, around what you have been paying a month. Her father was not happy with this decision, at all. Afterwards, his visiting stopped and he became very distant with our daughter. Over the next nine years, every two weeks the payments were paid on time. By the time she turned twelve years old he began to make partial payments or no payment at all. In trying to seek help, I cannot count how many times I called that child support number. Nevertheless, the countless trips I made to Juvenile Court trying to get some assistance. It seemed as if he had an inside connections of some sort. He lived here in the city and had been employed at the same job for the past eight years or more. At some one point, for five years he made no payment at all. I had just about given up on receiving and seeking any help for her. Until I spoke with an acquaintance, who provided me with some updated information on her father. I used this information, by calling the Child Support Division in Nashville, Tennessee. I received even more information by mail concerning the monthly payments that he would be making and about his second job. I guess he thought that after she turned eighteen it would all go away. My daughter is twenty-one years old and the payments come regularly. Case in point, he could have been finished paying child support three and a half years ago, however, he choose differently. Do not get me wrong, I sure there are some fathers who are more than willing to take care of their child and I salute you all. Unfortunately, because numerous fathers abandon their responsibilities, Child Support Systems have been into place as an advocate for the child. However, the monies will never suffice for the overall care the mother has provided for the child.

Healthcare Reform...Dead or Alive?

The three basic problems that health care reform seek to solve are effectiveness, cost, and access to care. The belief is healthcare problems will remain the same as they were in 2009 and will most likely face the same forces that combined to defeat health-care reform in 1945 and 1994. Democrats are still trying to decide what to do: push forward, back down, or take a new approach to salvage healthcare reform, the centerpiece of their domestic agenda. Pelosi promised that Democrats will pass "something," yet Democratic leaders are admittedly slowing down and thinking about their options. Though President Obama urged Congress in his State of the Union address to "finish”. The choice they make will likely hinge on several things, including balancing what the White House wants against what Democratic leaders think they can get, interpreting what voters in Massachusetts were saying, and divining what, if anything, the outcome means for the November midterm elections. The loss of the late Sen. Ted Kennedy's seat to Republican Scott Brown leaves Democrats with 59 votes, one shy of what they need to block a filibuster. That means the old plan of merging the bills passed by the House and Senate and then sending a new bill through both chambers is dead unless the Senate tries to vote on something before Brown is seated. But President Obama, along with several Senate Democrats, quickly ruled that out. "Shell-shocked" is the way Democrats kept describing their reaction to Scott Brown's election victory in Massachusetts. Hill aides sounded weary and uncertain. Gone was the hope that healthcare reform was close to clearing its last hurdle. Gone was the sense of inevitability that had sprung up around the effort. In its place were hastily arranged private meetings convened by Democratic leaders. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid spent the day rotating among caucus members. They were assessing,re-evaluating, and doing damage control. President Obama, House and Senate Democratic aides insist that healthcare reform is not dead and say that it will move forward in some form. The task, they say, is to regroup, not to retreat. "I think what we've learned is that change is not easy," says a House Democratic aide. "Bringing about real change, sweeping change, is not a quick process. There are going to be people on both sides saying you haven't done enough or you've done too much." The challenge, the aide says, is finding the comfort zone of the American people. Is this the best we'll get from our elected reps, as the economy continues to fissure and the dreams and security of more and more of us buckle and break, and decent medical coverage becomes increasingly a matter of luxury or luck? Perhaps, things aren't bad enough for real change yet, or maybe the demand for it still remains a low priority in comparison to the lobbying pressures of Big Insurance and the prevailing free-market issues among establishment politicians. The for-profit health care guarantees that many people will not be able to get coverage. There's no escaping this. As a result, basic health care for all Americans -- however cost-effective and spiritually healthy it would be for the nation -- does not yet have the status of, for instance, gun ownership: It is not a right. Approximately 1,300 profit-making private insurance companies administer thousands of separate plans and waste about $400 billion a year on administrative costs, profiteering, high CEO compensation packages, and advertising. Health care providers spend another $210 billion on administrative costs, mostly to deal with insurance paperwork. As a result, the United States spends $7,129 per person on health care, almost double the amount spent by nearly any other industrialized country. Ultimately, 46 million Americans do not have any health insurance, and for millions more the coverage is inadequate but budget-breaking. And as a result, the U.S. ranks among the lowest of developed countries in both general health and life expectancy. Currently, healthcare reform has been placed on hold until further notice. The Democratic leaders’ goals are to regroup and find the comfort zone of the American people. The Democrats have insisted the healthcare reform will not be defeated and have vowed to pass something. Will the same forces that combined to defeat health-care reform in 1945 and 1994 defeat the current healthcare reform proposal? Is it now or never on healthcare reform for the American people? www.ihavenet.com › BUSINESS - Cached - Similar www.newsless.org/.../the-3-key-parts-of-news-stories-you-usually-dont-get/ - www.ihavenet.com › BUSINESS - Cached - Similar www.newsless.org/.../the-3-key-parts-of-news-stories-you-usually-dont-get/ -

Are Universities really a Four Year College?

Colleges are there to help us further our education and find better jobs to help support better lives. Most of us prefer beginning to further our education at a four year institute. Why is that? It is because a four year college seems to be more promising than a community or technical college. But does it only take four years to complete a Bachelors degree? In most four year colleges you will need 120 credit hours to graduate. 12 hours each semester is considered full time. Four 3 credit classes will equal full time hours. Four classes for winter and fall semesters only counts up to 96 hours in four years. This means taking more classes for the winter and fall semesters and/or taking classes in the summer. That does not include the internship or senior project. Does that seem fair to those of us who have jobs, children, or both? All of those classes would be so time time consuming that there you won't have time for the other things in your life. Now it is time to drop a few or sign up for less classes, again taking longer than four years. What about those classes that you really don't need for your future career but only take them to earn more credits to graduate? Is that really necessary or is it a waste of time? I know it is better to take classes you don't need than to need classes and not take them but college is to expensive. By all means I am not trying to discourage anyone but want to know if I am the only one who feels this way. I have not been able to take four and five five classes every semester and of course that takes longer, my life is still going on and I am not getting any younger. Guess I am ready to move on with my life.

Sarah Palin

I don’t care what anyone says. I like Sarah Palin. True, we’re quite different and have nothing in common but gender. She’s White. I’m Black. She’s conservative. I’m liberal. She has five children. I have none. She’s riding above the economic crisis. I’m being crushed underneath. So, why do I like Sarah Palin? Well, she’s able to reduce progressives (formerly known as liberals) to apoplectic fits by just the sound of her voice. Now, why would I hold such a grudge against progressives, indeed the “Democrat” party, that I should take pleasure in their distress? The Democratic primary of 2008 is a start.

I supported Hillary Clinton over Barak Obama because I believed we needed a leader with more experience and less corrupt than Obama. (Considering the past year under an Obama administration, I’d say my concerns were justified.) Those who opposed Clinton's nomination cited her Iraq War vote, close ties to the “establishment” and corporations, her centrism and even their revulsion at Bill Clinton returning to the White House as First Gentlemen. These reasons are legitimate enough I suppose, even though Obama has never been a leftist, let alone a socialist as he's often accused of by Republicans. Obama supported the Iraq War with his Senate votes to fund it. Obama also received support from the same corporations and banks that are currently fleecing our savings…with Obama’s blessing. Nevertheless, I could accept opposition to Clinton’s nomination based on the reasons listed.

No, what bothered me – besides the ignorance of neophyte voters, enthralled Blacks not voting their interests yet again and Whites looking for absolution – was the sexism and misogyny that came from the Democrat party, the current home of liberalism. Liberals aren’t supposed to base arguments on sexism or racism. These “–isms” are an anathema to our ideology. Yet there was MSNBC guest host David Schuster presenting a cackling Hillary Jabber Jaw pen and MSNBC Countdown' commentator Keith Olbermann’s suggestion to “beat” Hillary Clinton out of the primaries. There was the 527 organization, Citizens United Not Timid (note the uppercase letters), created to tell us all about what Hillary Clinton really was. There were also the Hillary nutcracker dolls, her sexual orientation was questioned and “B**ch” became her pet name on blogs. From Huffington Post to Daily Kos, sexism and misogyny was exploited and encouraged by none other than progressives. I’d expected Republicans to take this tactic. John McCain, the Republican presidential nominee, had already begun when he chuckled at this question at a townhall. But liberals?

After a contentious primary battle, Obama was eventually selected as the Democratic nominee but before there was time to heal, John McCain selected Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as his running mate. If you recall, hell broke loose. I thought Hillary Clinton had it bad, but I felt downright sorry for Gov. Palin. Within hours after her nomination, progressive blogs attacked her children, labeled her a bimbo, trailer trash, and replaced the epithet "b**ch" with “whore”. Progressives, who still consider themselves gender equality advocates, donned t-shirts emblazoned with “Sarah is A C**t”. For Halloween, her effigy was lynched on a reveler’s front porch. Amazingly enough, progressives even argued that Palin was a bad mother for having a career.

Even though the McCain/Palin ticket lost, in part due to the sudden economic downturn which acted as an assist to the Obama/Biden ticket which had been lagging in the polls, progressives still can’t let go of Palin. Their constant harping about a losing vice-presidential candidate has extended Palin's 15 minutes into years. There’s a name for progressives’ reaction to Sarah Palin. It’s called PDS or Palin Derangement Syndrome. It’s similar to CDS, Clinton Derangement Syndrome, except its victims are more unhinged, nasty and self-destructive.

The latest and lamest attack to date is “PalmGate”. Sarah Palin, best-selling author and a recent contributor to Fox news, made an appearance at the first National Tea Party convention this weekend. The National Tea Party is a grass-roots movement comprised of conservatives, libertarians and independents who rose in opposition to the stimulus package and bailouts to banks. Palin was paid $100,000 to speak which infuriated progressives since, according to them, she’s an idiot. During the Q & A portion of the convention, she referred to crib notes written in the palm of her hand. Criticizing her on this is fair. It’s petty, but at least it’s not sexist. Although, the criticism is rather hypocritical considering Obama can’t make a speech without the TOTUS (Teleprompter of the United States). He stutters, which isn’t a transgression, but I believe he’s ignorant on policy which is a sin. Nevertheless, Palin's “cribbing” is fair game. Some may even argue that Palin's a hypocrite since she's criticized Obama for his frequent use of the teleprompter. However, it doesn’t end there. It never does with progressives and Sarah Palin.

The sexism returned as well as the attacks on Sarah Palin’s children. There are some new insults such as references to hand-jobs and “Sharpie Barbie” although “whore” and “trailer trash” made a comeback. With far more pressing concerns such as the economy, healthcare, wars and the environment, it is incomprehensible why progressives would spend so much time and ink sniffing for "scandals" against a woman who holds no political office and therefore can effect no change in policy and law. Even ratings anemic MSNBC brought this insipid non-story to consciousness. Is it not clear that these attacks work for Palin? Is not clear yet that the attention, even negative attention, increases Palin’s book sales, her speaking fees and her base?

The Democratic primary and the presidential general election were surreal. Liberals, adherents to an inclusive ideology, turned to sexism and misogyny to beat out female candidates who stood against Barack Obama. That he stabbed them in the back provides some measure of vindictive satisfaction although I can’t be too pleased since I’m screwed, too. Sarah Palin’s success eases that pain a bit, though. A success she can credit in part to progressives. Yes, she got the last laugh and she’s still laughing - all the way to the bank. It’s rather nice to see the progressives so vexed and consumed.

A cheap and petty thrill, I confess.

EDITORIAL

Lobbyists and Students

NEw York Times

Published: February 7, 2010

The private lending companies that earn billions of dollars in undeserved profits from the federal student loan program are working overtime to kill a bill that would stop their gravy train once and for all — and should have been enacted long ago. The House stood up to the powerful lending lobby last fall and passed a student loan reform bill. The White House has been pushing the Senate, but it is having trouble finding its spine and has yet to introduce a bill.

The House version phases out the wasteful part of the federal college lending program that pays private lenders a rich subsidy to make risk-free loans that are guaranteed by the government. The bill also expands another, more reliable and less expensive federal loan program that permits students to borrow directly from the government through their colleges.

The arguments for moving in this direction are irrefutable. The subsidized program, for example, was supposed to keep loans flowing during recessions. But the loans dried up in the last credit crunch, forcing the government to rescue the program. The direct program, by contrast, suffered no such disruption. In addition to being more reliable, the direct program costs less. The Congressional Budget Office estimated last year that the country could save about $80 billion over the next decade by ending the private system and moving to the direct one.

Outmaneuvered on the merits, the lending industry has resorted to scare tactics and distortions. The claim that the direct system would amount to a government takeover of the system is absurd. The direct loans would not be handled by the government, but through colleges and universities, just as Pell grants are now. The loans would be collected and administered by private companies, which are actively competing for the business.

Some lenders say the new system would lead to more student defaults, but contracts between the government and loan-servicing companies clearly state that the companies will be evaluated partly on how successful they are at preventing defaults.

The claim by lenders that the direct system would bring huge job losses is also implausible. The work force that would be required to service, say, $500 billion in outstanding loans would be nearly as large as the work force required to lend that amount.

The new system would, of course, cut into lenders’ profits. But by redirecting the savings into a variety of federal programs aimed at needy students — including the Pell grant scholarship program — Congress would be putting the money to good use.

Street Smart

Just the other day I was informed that the city of Memphis is finally making a bike path that will enable cyclists to get from downtown to out east. It seems as if this has taken a lifetime to do. See, I have been riding a bicycle for the past 8 years as my lone source of transportation. I ride from my home in Cooper-Young, to downtown, to school, to work, and out to my dentist in Germantown. I ride everywhere. I love the ride. I love to ride. There is nothing more humbling to me than being out in the fresh air, taking in the beauty of this place I have learned to call home. What saddens me is when almost everyday someone is driving dangerously close to me. (In case anyone was wondering, I have every right to ride on the road. Hints the term, "roadbike." In fact, it is illegal to ride on the sidewalks.) Most of the streets in this city of ours have two lanes. Since I have the right to ride in the street, I ride directly in the middle of my lane. I ride at a respectable average of 23 miles per hour, which means that I am not just taking my time coasting down the street. I don't understand why some people have the nerve to pass so close to me, or even get right up on me and start honking their horn or yelling. It is uncalled for. It is so easy to just go around, and then after passing me, get back into the lane. There are many bikers who ride as their transportation, and not just for leisure or exercise. People need to learn the laws and accept the fact that my bike is my ride, and these streets are mine too. Do me a favor and welcome bikers to the streets, keep an eye out for us, and please drive safely. Oh yeah, did I mention that this bike path is extremely long overdue?

Oh No...Not again

I can remember being a student a Shannon Elementary here in Memphis and having a National Honor Society induction ceremony of which I was beaming to be an inductee. We had a very special guest speaker that day who our teachers tried to convey to us his importance and how glad we should be to have him attend our program. I had no idea who this man was. All I knew was that he was the Memphis City School's superintendant, Dr. W.W. Herenton. I can't say that I remember anything he said that day. All I do recall is his presence. He was tall and statuesque and he seemed just as proud to be speaking in front of a crowd of adoring fans as they were to have him there. Then jump to my sophmore year of high school, when I guess I was just an uninvolved, could-care-less type of youngster who began to hear rumblings of that name again. A black man just might be mayor. The Blacks in this city could definitely relate to the plight and struggle he constantly reminded them of. This did it. Willie Herenton defeated Mayor Hackett! People all over the city were shocked. The black population had gotten out to cast their ballots and Herenton won by a mere 146 votes! Blacks, for the most part were in sheer bliss and stormed the streets and their workplaces with catchy phrases like, "We can't Hackett, no mo!" There was such hope for the city, such hope for Blacks in Memphis. After eight years in office, the pride we had once felt just to be in his presence was fading for some of us in the community. I can recollect grumblings of "nothing has really changed all that much" from some, while others tried to smooth things over by saying, "it takes time to change all the stuff that has been going on in this city for years." That seemed to quiet the masses for a while, but after another four year term, many were starting up again with prior sentiments of disapproval. But was it too late? Had we created this character known as Willie Herenton and were now turning against him unfairly? The fact of the matter was that we were growing tired of the antics and showiness that for so long had masked the fact that real and lasting change had not and would not be taking place under his leadership. But who could run for Mayor and beat the incumbent? No one could. Herenton even won a fourth consecutive term. I had to ask myself if we were getting more sophistocated as a race. Could we vote on the issues and not on color alone? Could we not see through the meaningless jargon of "shake the haters off" and "don't bring me no stuff, won't be no stuff" that he was spewing in order to somehow relate to the younger, black voter? Was anybody else embarrassed and frustrated? The adoration Blacks had a few short years earlier had turned sour. It was as if Herenton was a magician, distracting us with a fancy wave of one hand while we had no idea how he was actually doing the trick of getting elected again and again with the other hand. Let's face the facts, this city had money problems, rising property taxes, one of the highest crime rates in the nation and a mayor who seemed to be employing his own version of the "good-ole boy" system by assigning his unqualified friends to many of the city's top jobs. Despite an FBI investigation, an illegitimate child scandal and no reasonable explanation for the state of our city, Herenton cannot be dissuaded from seeking public office repeatedly. He's up to it again, this time not for the Mayor's seat, but for congress. Herenton officially declared yesterday that he intends to run for the 9th District seat against Steve Cohen. His declaration proved my point all too clearly. Nothing about his arrogance has changed over the last sixteen years. He stands just as proud to be speaking in front of a crowd as he did when I was a child. His only platform is that he is black and the incumbent is white. There is no substance to speak of and he seems to fully believe that just because the 9th District is mostly Black that he is going to automatically be the victor in this fight. But this time his fan base is few and we are not as impressed by his mere presence alone as we once were. Wake up! This community wants results, not just expressive slang and empty banter. And I fear that that is exactly what we will get if we fall for the "slide of hand" yet again.