Legalising in Texas and Mexico

This is a response for  Texas.State.Government post:

Welcome to 2014! 1903 was more than a hundred years ago! Marihuana has been through a lot of research since then and must benefits and side effects are still pretty much unknown. I have no time to update you from 1903 to 2014, but the most significant recent discoveries are that marihuana reduces epileptic attacks, stress, and pain (Here is a TEDtalk that talks about this, so you know I'm not lying, you should watch it and post your sources too so we can believe that story from 1903 and some facts that you talk about). It was also discovered, that smoking often will affect a side of your brain that is involved with motivation. I post a positive and a negative discovery cause I'm in a neutral position on cannabis use.

I agree in the fact that Texas should not legalize it, but for other reasons. I come from Mexico and I lived in the insecurity of it thanks to drug cartels. I think legalising marihuana in a border state can make it easier to cartels to cross it through the border. Also, by legalising it, the price lowers. If the price lowers the cartels will lose money and they will find a way to get it somehow, probably through kidnapping or extortion. This would raise the insecurity in Mexico.

More fracking deaths

According to the Houston Chronicle, deaths caused by drilling and fracking operations have raised 7.4% in Texas from 2008. 

Texas Government and citizens should pay more attention to fracking. It is not well regulated and there are risks that have not been considered. It seems that people are not well informed either. According to The Guardian  most of the research available has been linked to big energy companies. It seems as if the government knows how it affects the quality of life and just ignores it. 

Rolling Stone magazine published some photographs of victims of fracking in Pennsylvania. They show how this family needs to buy gallons of water so they can shower, wash their hands, and of course, drink it. They have to drive once a week to buy jugs of pure water because the tap water is tested positive with poisonous chemicals. This case might be outside of Texas but I bet there is people going through the same struggle in Texas. 

I think people should spread the word and get informed. They should demand clear and precise information about where and how is fracking taking place. If the citizens do not take action, deaths caused by drilling and fracking operations will keep escalating. 

Free Birth Control

I read an article about free birth control by Laura Lazos published on her blog "That's what I like about Texas".


She states that birth control should be free. I agree. I should be free at least for the teenagers that can afford paying for their birth control. This would make the birth control more accessible for teenagers and will prevent unplanned pregnancy. On the other hand, I do not agree that if women have to pay for their birth control, then the abortions will start to escalate. I think unwanted pregnancy comes from the lack of sexual education among the teenagers. Unwanted pregnancy is not a result of expensive birth control treatment, because there are many other ways to prevent pregnancy.

I think birth control should be free, but a sexual education talk should be given to all the teenagers that apply to get it. Birth control prevents pregnancy but does not prevent any type of STD, and many teenagers do not use a condom just because they use birth control. Sexual education is very important and should be accessible to everyone too.

Texas is Fracking the Land and Fracking us too.

According to CNBC's overall rankings of 2013 based on variables including Economy, Infrastructure, Quality of Life, etc. Texas stands in 2nd place. If we take a look to each of those variables, Texas takes first place in Economy and Infrastructure, but drops down to place 41 in Quality of Life.

It doesn't surprise me. It seems that there are many other important things than health and the environment in Texas. Researchers at the University of Texas at Arlington found out that levels of arsenic and other heavy metals have raised in Northern Texas. Add that to the fact that fracking is occurring closer and closer to city limits and the results are hazardous. There have been cases in Northern Dallas where laws are being broken and fracking is taking place inside city limits.

Oil is also damaging Texas oceans. Two weeks ago 168,000 gallons of oil were breached into Galveston bay spreading into the Gulf of Mexico. So now we have toxic crops from fracking and toxic seafood thanks to the oil spill.

Texas needs to reconsider if the nation's goal of energetic independence is more important than the health of its citizens. Fracking laws should be updated and enforced to benefit the quality of life of Texans.

Buy your place in Heaven. It's easier than earning it.

Juanita Jeans posted a commentary article  about a robbery taken place in Lakewood Church in Houston. The safe got opened and $600,000 were stolen. She criticises the fact that they made that money in just one Sunday. That means they make 32 million a year just on Sundays.

This church is headed by Pastor Joel Osteen. 

He could be abusing the fate of other people or not, but she says that the fact that all of this money is "Tax free" becomes a problem. Should government tax churches? 

I saw a documentary called "Preachers: The new rockstars" and they show how much money they make and how they live luxurious lives thanks to the words "Give and you will get". If this is an abuse or not I will not discuss, but the things in which they are spending that money is just material things that do not help others. If they earn it, they can do whatever they want with their money, right? But if you are a leader of a church you should show more responsibility with the money that is being donated to you. Maybe donations in this type of cases should be taxed. 

18-Wheelers

In this opinion article, writer James W. DeBoard responds to a letter sent by a reader. The reader is "tired of 18-wheelers" saying that they are dangerous and "law enforcement should start enforcing the driving laws against these truck drivers". DeBoard answered that laws should be enforced against all drivers. I agree with DeBoard. First of all, I have a big respect for truck drivers driving an 18-wheeler. I used to get very stressed driving my 2500 RAM through Downtown Guadalajara because of the size of it, so I can imagine all the skills required to manoeuvre an 18-wheeler. 

Another argument that DeBoard mentions is that the mayor part of our daily used items are delivered in trucks. So trucks are essential; they cannot just be banned. It's true. 

People should understand how difficult it is to drive a truck with big dimensions. Instead of putting more pressure on the drivers, people should be aware and learn how to drive around them. 

New Beer Law

Some good news for beer connoisseurs. According to an article from The Texas Tribune, brewpubs like Uncle Billy’s Brew & Que will be available to sell their product offsite using third party distributors. This has doubled the production of barrels since the begging of the year. This is not only good news for connoisseurs because also "the industry could generate $5.6 billion statewide and create 52,000 new jobs by 2020". It has been hard for local breweries to survive by only selling to their own clients. With this new law they will be able to expand and have more opportunities to get their beer become well-known.