Evacuate or Else

I just heard an announcement that the State of Texas will implement a new law effective September 1. It provides authority to arrest any citizen who refuses a mandatory evactuation notice, such as the ones issued last fall when Hurricane Ike was about to hit our area.

There are always some people who ignore the warnings, at their own peril. There are still some bodies missing from the storm surge Ike brought. The proponents of the law point to the dangers to rescue people in the midst of the storms when the stragglers change their minds. No doubt there is a danger. And perhaps arrest might save lives of those so foolish as to stay in the face of danger.

Still I wonder about such a law. What do you thinK?

Perry Spares Convict!

Governor Rick Perry of Texas surprised a lot of people yesterday making it a very unusual day. A death row inmate in Texas had his sentence commuted to life without parole. It was only six hours before the execution of Kenneth Foster Jr. was to take place.

Foster was convicted as the driver of the get away car in a robbery in which his partner shot and killed the owner of the store being robbed. In Texas the law places the same guilt on all participants of a crime that ends in a homicide, so Foster was to die, just as the gunman did for his pulling the trigger. Governor Rick Perry decided that the punishment did not fit the crime of being the driver, so he commuted the sentence.

That is rare in Texas!






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WiFi Rest Stops in Texas

The State of Texas has come up with a new incentive to get motorists take more breaks when they are on long trips across the vast Lone Star State. They have installed WiFi capabilities in all the State's rest stops on the highways.

It seems like a good idea to me. I hope it achieves the desired goal.




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Texas Marriage Licenses!

The governor is about to receive a bill that is stirring some discussion in the state. The cost of a marriage license is "proposed" to be "wed" to pre-marital counseling. If the couple has gone through an eight hour counseling course on how to be good mates, the license is free. If you reject the counseling, the cost will be $60, twice the current fee!

What do you think?






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$500 Not To Have An Abortion!?

Dan Patrick is in his first term as a Texas legislator. He has introduced a bill that would enable the state to offer $500 to a woman who decides to give a child up for adoption instead of having an abortion.

There is a waiting list for parents who want to adopt, so it makes some sense to me that the option would benefit not only the child but also the prospective parents. I personally am opposed to killing unborn babies as a means of birth control.

And yet for some reason I am not really comfortable with the idea of this inducement. I can't put my finger on why, but it doesn't feel right either.
What do you think?







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Erroll Le Vant's Top Ten Favorite Attributes of Heartland Country Inn

I spent the weekend in a retreat facility near Brenham, Texas. Here are the top ten features of that camp ground: The rolling hills that surround the facility; The comfort of the houses on the grounds; The view from the dining hall, overlooking the lake; The lake and the stones you can skip on it; The little school house meeting room; The deer sausage that is served on the breakfast buffet; The rest of the wonderful food on the breakfast buffet; The relaxed atmosphere for a retreat; The friendliness of the staff; The Blue Bell ice cream served after supper!