"If they're dumb enough to put it on there, we're smart enough to find it."

Now that MYSPACE and FACEBOOK have gained so much popularity, it has been easier for the police to find those who have committed crimes around the area. The police are using the WEB as another form of investigating. I believe this is where our local government is excelling.

Locally, the police have gained evidence for many crimes that have recently taken place and have even found those people who committed it and they were arrested. The University of Texas has a crime watcher website that reaches to more than 6,500 people, giving the police another source of leads. People don't realize it, but what you do on the internet can always be tracked back to the source. It is pleasing to the locally because it is giving those who do wrong to get what they deserve.

Obviouslly, the officals from local to state should feel there was a job well done by officers in all the counties.

Commentary to Political Happenings

I agree with your ideas on the poor healthcare system within our government. However, our welfare programs are expanding. Including, madicare,medicaide, food stamps, and WIC; and if eligible for these programs then the benefits are high for families under the program. But becoming eligible for such programs is where the difficult part is. It takes time and those who wait may be in desperate need or are in an immediate attention for any type of health care. This is where our health care system within the government lacks. Also, I do agree with and understand that each session that the legislatures attend the decisions about money and availibility for such health care programs are decreasing. Like you said, all of these issues are at our back door and we don't even realize it. I honestly didn't realize it because seeing the infomericals made me believe that such poverty and poor health conditions was mainly in that part of the world, but it is obviously right here.

Should we be worried?

Information from the Austin Statesman focus on the recent bridge collasping in Minnesota and those articles begin to raise questions about our own bridges here in Texas.
Of coarse, our local government stands confident about the structure of our surrounding bridges. Stated in the Austin Statesman, all Texas bridges are examined at least every 24 months and sometimes throughout the year for small maintance issues. The collaspe of the bridge in Minnesota made some residents of Texas a little uneasy. Never have I thought that maybe a bridge in Texas would collaspe; and as a matter of a fact I'm sure not many other residents have too much to worry about.
I believe our state and local government has met all the criteria of maintaining safe and structurally solid built bridges. Now, bridges that are being found that need work are refered as "structurally deficient." However, money that in the past has gone to the Transportation Department is now going to the state's general fund. This money that is being distributed to other funds in the government is what raises more concern about durability and maintance needed for some of the bridges. As a whole, Texas has done considerably well with all the inspections of bridges that took place in 2006.
Our government, state and local, have kept the conditions of the bridges in, at least, good condition. Our money is going to the right places. Anything that is significantly wrong with any Texas bridge causes the bridge to be completely shut down and not reopened until construction is complete, this is what prevents such events of a collasped bridge from occuring. Now that the events of the Minnesota bridge collaspe is known nation wide, our local governments are reassuring us, as residents, the stability and durability of the bridges in our area. It is comforting knowing the conditions of the surrounding bridges. Our state government has kept on top of such issues as bridges before and after the recent bridge collaspe. It restores the confidence I have in our government that they are in no doubt and are secure enough with they own system to publish the facts of our own local bridges and how safe they are to be driven on.

Texas Leads Nation In Teen Birth Rate

Texas State and Local Government deals greatly with teen birth rate. The statistics shown by The Kids Count and the study of children's health are shocking. It is hard to take in but I don't see it as surprising. Younger girls now a days don't view sexual intercourse as something risky but rather something to do or to fit in with. As our counts of teen birth rates keep rising, what is making the other states decline? What is their State and Local Governments doing differently? Other than our Local Governments preaching abstinence, it is ultimatley up to the parents to pass on their words of wisdom, hoping their children take it seriously. Texas has set up programs that are required in school to teach, hoping the information of how risky it is to be having intercouse at such a young age can affect the rest of their lives. However, all these measures that Texas Government is doing to prevent teen pregnancy might be a mistake; maybe the government's strong emphasis on teaching abstinence pushed many over the edge. Some teens just don't want to listen. In the article a professor from The University of Texas Health Science Center stresses that the teaching of sexual health and development should be done before high school, the prime years of peer pressure. I believe that Texas's State and Local Governments have done all they can do, it is up to the kid's parents now.
Visit Dallas Morning News for the complete article

When is it safe to swim?

As stated in the Austin Statesman, Steve Gilpatrick was struck just recentley with a life-threatning disease. After taking annual summer trips to the Galveston coast, Steve and his family were in for a shock of their lives. Three days after Steve was on a fishing trip swimming he came down with a terrible pains all over his body. He was rushed to the hospital and diagnosed with necrotizing fasciitis, a tissue-destroying disease caused by a bacterium called Vibrio vulnificus. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the bacterium Vibrio vulnificus thrives during summer months in the Gulf of Mexico. Being a diabetic and having an ulcer on his leg made Steve a higher risk of obtaining this rare disease. He fights for his life as doctors try preventing anymore organ failures and saving his leg from having to be removed. If this disease is known then why are some still not taking the precautions. This article should be read and taken seriously because I would have never guessed there was a specific time of the year that is considered high risk for some type of people to swim. Also, having knowledge on this type of information gives a person more of a warning of what to be more cautious with.This disease is deadly and has taken lives in the past. In my opinion, if your going to take the risk, be smart about it.
For the complete article see: http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/07/19/0719flesh.html