Letters from our Readers - February 2007

Legislature Must Empower Texas Crime Victims
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit recently overturned a murder conviction – solely because the victim’s brother sat in the courtroom wearing a small pin with a photo of the victim on it. 
Fortunately, a December decision by the U.S. Supreme Court reversed this miscarriage of justice and reinstated the conviction. But this case, Carey v. Musladin, demonstrates how victims have been marginalized from not only the courtroom, but the entire criminal justice system. 
The 80th Texas Legislature should act to restore the primacy of victims.
First, restitution must be more than an empty promise. Only one-third of restitution owed to crime victims is actually collected. House Corrections Committee Chairman Jerry Madden (R-Plano) is filing a constitutional amendment to allow Texas judges to order the garnishment of an offender’s wages to pay restitution. Currently, the Texas Constitution only permits garnishment for child support, but restitution to crime victims is equally important.
Texas can also strengthen restitution for crime victims by linking the funding of probation departments to their restitution collections. Not all departments report their collections to the state. 
The Texas Public Policy Foundation, based on our research, has recommended to the Corrections Committee that 5 percent of basic adult probation funding be tied to restitution collections so that departments receive 9.4 cents for every dollar in restitution they collect. Such performance-based funding will encourage departments to maximize their efforts in collecting restitution, which should include assisting offenders with finding work and effectively managing their finances.
However, victims cannot drink from a well that is dry, and inmates earn no money to pay restitution. The Legislature should promote the availability of victim-offender mediation as a voluntary alternative to traditional prosecution and incarceration in cases involving minor property offenses by first-time offenders. 
Such mediations result in a written agreement that typically requires restitution, community service, and counseling, which is then ratified by the prosecutor or judge. Failure to comply subjects the offender to traditional prosecution and, if necessary, incarceration. 
Victim-offender mediation results in improved restitution collection, better offender outcomes, and reduced costs. There are more than 300 such programs in North America and their success is well documented. Some 95 percent of cases mediated result in a written agreement, and 90 percent of these restitution agreements are completed within one year, giving victims a sense of closure.
This indicates that coming face-to-face with a victim instills a moral obligation in many offenders. And because completion of the agreement avoids a conviction, offenders are more likely to hold a job that enables them to pay restitution. Victim-offender mediation has also been found to reduce recidivism by 32 percent.
Furthermore, mediations cost $250 per case, a fraction of the cost of court proceedings, let alone incarceration. The state could impose an offender fee paid by property offenders upon conviction or a participant fee for offenders who choose victim-offender mediation that would cover the upfront cost of grants to local district attorney’s offices for such programs.
Victim-offender mediation is not for everyone, but many victims of minor property offenses primarily want answers, an apology, and restitution – all of which only the defendant can provide. Victims deserve this option in such cases and studies suggest 60 to 70 percent would choose it.
Finally, Texas must ensure that restitution and other priorities of victims are fully incorporated in sentencing. Plea bargaining accounts for 90 percent of sentences, but Texas is not among the 22 states that require prosecutors to obtain the victim’s opinion concerning a proposed plea. 
Arizona requires prosecutors to consult with victims, guarantees victims the right to be present and heard during any settlement discussions, and requires that judges consider the victim’s viewpoint in deciding whether to accept the plea. Texas law only says the judge must “inquire as to whether a victim impact statement has been returned.” 
We must not view crime as simply an offense against the state, and instead ensure that crime victims have a place in the courtroom and a seat at the table. The marginalization of victims is not only unjust, but deprives us of the public safety benefits that are only realized when an offender’s conscience is awakened upon realizing the harm caused to another human being. 
Marc A. Levin, Esq.
Center for Effective Justice at the Texas Public Policy Foundation 
www.texaspolicy.com  

Richardson Can Save Democrats
One year away from the first presidential primaries of 2008, the selection process is in a unique position: Both parties have open fields, and no consensus candidates are emerging.
With President Bush's unpopularity and the continuing decline of support for the Iraq war, the presidential election is shaping up to be the Democrats' to lose. After gaining steam in the mid-term elections and profiting from Bush's negatives, the Democrats appear to be in their best position to win the White House since the 1976 election of Jimmy Carter.
Currently, celebrity Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., and Barack Obama, D-Ill., are leading the Democratic pack, each collecting approximately 30 percent of the party support in polls. However, both Clinton and Obama possess fatal flaws that should temper the enthusiasm of any Democrat hoping to win 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. with either senator at the top of the ticket. Sen. Clinton might be the most reviled politician among Republicans, and she would bring out the wrath of the right in unprecedented strength. Conservative-leaning battleground states such as Virginia, Missouri and Florida would be near impossibilities, with odds in other swing states such as Iowa and New Mexico measurably reduced. Furthermore, she would be dogged by Bill Clinton's skeletons and risk being overshadowed by her larger-than-life ex-president husband.
Sen. Obama also faces daunting and substantive hurdles to becoming president. He is only two years removed from the Illinois Senate, rendering him inexperienced in the complexities of key campaign issues such as foreign policy and military affairs. Moreover, his social liberalism could alienate many socially conservative Democrats in the same key battleground states mentioned above. Unfortunately, the fact that he is African-American may overshadow his competency among many voters, further rendering him an incomplete candidate. While he may be the articulate, handsome and charismatic leader the Democrats have been searching for since Bill Clinton left the White House, Sen. Obama is simply too inexperienced to be the leader of the free world.
While both of these candidates could easily, and may very well, win the Democratic nomination, I remain skeptical of their ability to win the general election. That does not mean the Democrats are hopeless, however; New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson can be the party's saving grace, but only if the party wakes up in time to embrace him.
Gov. Richardson's résumé speaks for itself: a two-term governor of New Mexico, a key battleground state; a seven-term congressman; a former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations under Bill Clinton; a former Secretary of Energy under Bill Clinton; and a former chairman of the Democratic Governors' Association. He has executive, legislative and international experience, all essential ingredients for a successful president.
Richardson, as the only Hispanic contender, has the greatest chance of instituting immigration reform (he supports comprehensive immigration reform), he can win the Hispanic vote in swing states such as Florida and he can attract Republican moderate crossover voters. He has clout in energy policy, as the former energy secretary and proponent of alternate fuels to help solve America's oil dependency. He has cut taxes and expanded jobs in New Mexico and enjoys the libertarian Cato Institute's top ranking of any Democrat for fiscal and economic policy. Also, he would dominate New Mexico in any national election, a state that tilted toward Bush in 2004. Richardson's regional notoriety could shift Colorado and Arizona, both competitive Bush-leaning states.
He conducts himself with the same suave yet unpolished charm of the other governor-turned-president, Bill Clinton. He is notorious for getting speeding tickets, claiming he is too busy getting things done to follow the posted limits. He is as confident as his résumé is strong, as bold as his approval ratings are high (65 percent in New Mexico). He is the most qualified possible candidate for president in either party.
And so the Democratic Party is faced with a choice: either nominating Barack or Hilary, or victory in 2008. If they choose the latter, all roads to the White House lead through New Mexico, and Bill Richardson speeds wherever he goes.
Will Smith
Badger Herald, Weekly Columnist
Sent by Norma Duran, Conroe TX

Can you spell Hypocrisy? 
Rep. Kevin Brady recently spoke in defense of his opposition to the recent bills in Congress. However, he made statements which contradict actions of the past Republican controlled Congress where he was so influential. For instance, he says that he supports improving Medicare and yet he has voted to cut Medicare which impacts seniors and our local medical community. 
He claims that he voted against the bill that provides assistance to college students because it didn’t go far enough. So why didn’t he introduce a bill that would go far enough when they had complete control and could insure its passage? Instead, the past Republican controlled Congress saddled us with unfunded mandates in the draconian misnamed education bill called “No Child Left Behind”.
He voted against repealing the tax cuts for oil companies, stating “Why should the energy we use today have to pay for our future source of energy?” I believe it is the most logical source of revenue to fund new renewable energy technology. His primary objection was that “it reclassifies oil company employees as foreign workers so oil companies can be taxed more”. If they are in-shoring foreign workers or offshoring potential American jobs to evade paying taxes, then we should tax their billions in profits to the max. 
He voted against stem cell legislation that specifically utilizes excess embryos that were to be destroyed by fertility clinics. We can sacrifice our loved ones to a senseless war based on lies, but we can’t utilize embryos set for destruction to help the living?
Sen. Cornyn claims that allowing Medicare drug prices to be negotiated would “decrease competition among drug companies”. Using this scare tactic to put the drug companies’ interests over consumers is like supporting highway robbery, especially when medications for our seniors are involved. There is a moral price to pay when lives are affected so that an obscenely high profit industry can operate unhindered. It is our representative’s responsibility to assure everyone’s interests are served.
So, when Cornyn brags about the poison pill being added into the minimum wage increase legislation in the Senate, it has troubling consequences for the many small businesses that rely on those consumers who will have more money to spend due to the increase. It is popular to state that a minimum wage increase also increases inflation, but we now have data that shows states which have increased their minimum wage beyond the federal minimum are proven to create jobs faster and have a greater increase in new businesses, plus it has a stellar affect on the retail sector. Our last increase in the federal minimum wage was in 1996 and we all witnessed our economy grow rapidly almost immediately. So, insuring that every worker has the opportunity to earn a fair livable wage is sound economic policy and everyone benefits, especially low income families currently living in poverty and relying on social services. 
Congress has guaranteed their own automatic pay increase every year and it is not even tied to inflation. Can you spell Hypocrisy?
Peggy Walton
Conroe, TX

Kay " The Conservater"
I can now see why Texas Senator Kay "Two-Term" Bailey Hutchison was reelected to a third term! She has evidently solved all of the problems facing the United States and now she has tooted her own horn in her valiant struggle to insure that men with guns can kill more animals in order to insure the survival of both! Now don't get me wrong- I fish and many of my friends hunt- so I am for ethical and responsible management of both activities, I just don't understand why with all of the problems facing the state of Texas and the U.S. "Kay" can spend her time writing about such a minor issue. It is almost as if she is still campaigning for office and is "roosting" (sorry for the pun) with the "Sportsmen for Bush" crowd or perhaps "ducking" (sorry, again) from more urgent problems facing the people. I didn't need a tourism and geography lesson from a Senator of a state where education spending per-student is one of the lowest in the nation. I do know of a species however, that is in dire needs of protecting - the Texan military man. For the last 7 years (while Kay has been in office) more and more of these fine specimens are being killed - almost all by foreigners who have no regard nor respect for their survival. What is Kay doing to protect them? 
But, if you think of it from a G.O.P. point of view it does make sense... in a warped sort of way. More Texans sent to die overseas in meaningless wars means less who may hunt here at home. Less hunters means more animals survive. So maybe Kay is really on to something here. Stay tuned for her next letter where she educates the readers about how "Global Warming" is a boon for Texas suntan lotion vendors.
Richard Amburgey
Spring, Texas

Failure to Communicate & Represent
It isn't as if we have no problems or important issues to discuss, understand and to work together for solutions, so I am befuddled..... no, angry, that some of my representatives in Congress do not respond to my letters, emails or phone calls! I do not expect instant responses however Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison is the only legislator that I hear back from consistently. Over the years, I have received a paltry 4 or 5 responses from Sen John Cornyn and other then a one time response from my Congressman Kevin Brady explaining the importance of his support of impeachment of President Clinton, I cannot remember any others! 
Now we are facing bills and measures that have been long ignored that will have potentially huge impact on individuals, cities, states and country and foreign policies. Kevin Brady has voted nay recently to the following important votes:
Creating Long-Term Energy Alternatives for the Nation Act to reduce our Nation's dependency on foreign oil by investing in clean, renewable, and alternative energy resources, promoting new emerging energy technologies, developing greater efficiency, and creating a Strategic Energy Efficiency and Renewable Reserve to invest in alternative energy.
College Student Relief Act to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to reduce interest rates for student borrowers.
Implementing the 9/11 Commission Recommendations Act to implement the 9/11 Commission recommendations.
Medicare Prescription Drug Price Negotiation Act to amend part D of title XVIII of the Social Security Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to negotiate lower covered part D drug prices on behalf of Medicare beneficiaries.
Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act to amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for human embryonic stem cell research.
Fair Minimum Wage Act to amend the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to provide for an increase in the Federal minimum wage. 
With a voting record such as this and his apparent failure to communicate the benefit thereof to individuals in his district, seems to indicate his representation of other interests and not that of the seniors, environment, health, future or security of the United States.
Robert Miller
Spring, TX

Roy Head Article
Loved the article and the news about Roy Head. I was married to, and am still great friends with, Willie Nelson. I grew up in Houston, and Roy Head was my idol, all the years I was there, Roy Head was the 
contributing factor to my early music years - and that knowledge and love of music has stayed with my throughout my life - and I consider him, a big reason for that.
Thanks for your article - Roy deserves all the best always!
Connie Nelson

The Return of Roy Head
Excellent article! I really enjoyed reading it and wish I could have known about his appearance earlier.
I played guitar with Roy at the open mic nite at Westfield's By The Railroad back in 2001. After introductions I knew it would be special. His dancing and antics with the microphone were outstanding. An experience to remember.
His Son, Sundance got up next and sang his butt off.
To suddenly see him on American Idol was totally unexpected and a joy. I wish him the best. I wish them both the best.
Bill Bailey

Thanks for the Memories! 
I met my wife at Van's Ballroom in 1966 and Roy Head was performing that night. He was "THE BOMB" to Houston, Texas !! 
Good luck Sundance , we hope to see your name in lights soon ! 
We'll be there to see with a group to see Roy ASAP ! 
Tommy Brooks
Cypress, Texas

Thanks for the History
I don't recall the exact year, but I do know that one weekend between about '59 & '61, Brazosport High School had a "battle dance:" the two bands which "battled it out" from each end of the gym were Roy Head & The Traits, and B. J. Thomas & The Triumphs. I never could understand why B.J. enjoyed greater success than Roy Head. 
Good memories! 
Sheila Skaggs Hale 
BHS Class of '62

More Roy
I knew Roy Head in the early 60's. I met him in San Marcos where I lived and then I went to Columbus, Tx to teach high school. He came to our school to play a concert in the auditorium in 1961 or 2 and afterwards, he came in to my classroom to visit briefly.. The girls were all swooning and could hardly believe they were that close to him.. He was the greatest! Needless to say, that day, there was no learning after that. 
I really enjoyed your article about him. 
Sudie Wray Barker 

Who's Driving Miss Daisy?
That would be my first question if Miss Daisy was one of my loved ones! Is it feasible that a sex offender just out of jail on parole is the driver? The answer is unfortunately, yes! Taxi & limousine regulations vary depending on which institution is doing the regulating. The state & the counties have no regulations so they rely on the cities to regulate the industry. If a taxi or limousine is operated in Montgomery County and only drops off in other municipalities there are no regulations, as opposed to a taxi or limousine operating in the City of Houston which is a bit over regulated. To pickup & drop off in the City of Houston the vehicles must be licensed and inspected (a redundancy of the TXDOT inspection) by City of Houston.
Transportation Department personnel: A driver must have a physical, be drug tested and have State / FBI background checks to obtain the City License. A separate more intensive TSA homeland security background check must be completed to pickup at the Bush IAH & Hobby airports.
Most Municipalities require taxis meet state mandated minimum insurance coverage's & local criminal background checks. They depend on the limousine company operator to run a proper company due to the investment that had to be made for the equipment. For the most part limousine companies & taxis are unregulated & there are very few Municipalities that have the money for the manpower required to enforce any laws that do exist. The municipalities rely on the public to report problems & respond accordingly in due time.
How do I make sure the one driving my Miss Daisy is an upstanding citizen & I'm dealing with an upstanding company? I ask questions! I don't start off my request with “How much is”, I start off with “What organizations does your company belong to & what licenses do you & your drivers have.”! 
Look for: 1) community organizational involvement, does the company belong to the local chamber, the BBB industry organizations. 2) Company longevity, length of time in business locally 3) Licensing of the company & its drivers with local municipalities that require it. 4) Insurance, does the company carry the bare minimum or do they have higher coverage's to protect their passengers. 5) Check with the BBB and see if the company you are considering has a good or bad report card. Now ask the “How much is” question and compare apples to apples. Is my family's safety & welfare worth a couple of extra minutes research & dollars…..I'm betting their lives on it!
Vance Lane
Director, Board of the Limousine Association Houston
Owner, Lane Towne Car & Limo

The Governor's New Clothes 
Gov. Perry stands before his post-reelection mirror, pats his hair in place, thinks of special interest mandates and admires his newly designed, hand-made invisible clothing. 
Good grief! They could make a fairy tale out of this! 
Only a handful of voters believes that the governor is "playing with a full deck", while the remaining 61-percent of reality-based voters know better and didn't vote to reelect Perry. 
Okay, "King" Perry mandates that all 6th grade girls must be vaccinated due to the HPV vaccine for sixth-grade girls, "because sexually transmitted virus can cause cervical cancer." 
So now the Emperor of Texas is trying to tell everyone how to raise their kids? Instead of "his supreme lowness" mandating the vaccine, shouldn't it be offered as a viable option? 
I have 2 daughters and 1 son. I'm telling the governor to take his mandate and shove it "where the sun don't shine"! No way would I have my girls get these shots if they don't need them, and I certainly don't need the governor or the state to tell me how to raise my kids. BTW, isn't it illegal for Perry to mandate this? There is no epidemic as far as I'm aware. 
BTW, doesn't this mandate help the health care / pharmaceutical industries, e.g., Merck, et. al.? a.k.a., Perry campaign contributors? 
This is directly from medical handbooks on the topic: Vaccinated girls still need cervical cancer screening. Three reasons: First, the vaccine will NOT protect against all types of HPV that cause cervical cancer, so vaccinated girls will still be at risk for some. Second, some girls may not get all required doses of vaccine or not get them at the right times, so they may not get the vaccine’s full benefits. Third, girls may not get the full benefit of the vaccine if they receive it after they’ve already acquired one of the four HPV types.
Consequently, GETTING THE VACCINE DOES NOT ENSURE THAT GIRLS WON'T GET HPV OR OTHER SEXUALLY-TRANSMITTED INFECTIONS. 
The governor and legislature have shown Texans that they can't even resolve urgent 10-year old issues, so now some of them are going to tell all parents how to raise their children? Like toll roads, property taxes, and other issues, no INDEPENDENT study has been taken that proves these vaccinations are needed! 
Like any legitimate community health concern, the primary precaution is education. Parents and community members should be reviewing educational options to teach young girls what can happen if/when they are sexually active. Let's face it, in our contemporary society we should be preaching abstinence due to all the sexually-transmitted diseases and infections individuals are in danger of contacting. Not just girls, but all members of our society are at-risk and require the education as a public service. 
Yet just like all those other political issues, this is another greedy special interest ploy using fear tactics to make profit-killings --- only this time it's at the expense of our daughters re: the pretense of maintaining their health. 
Governor, where does it end? 
Fortunately, some intelligent officials are communicating to the governor that this is NOT a good mandate. 
Beware, Texans, this merely is the first chapter of "Mr. Goodhair Goes to Washington". 
Peter Stern,
Driftwood, TX

A Blessing & a Curse
This last week we have seen where an elementary school student was able to call 9-1-1 to the aid of his bus driver as the driver was having a heart attack.
Unfortunately, in this case, help did not arrive soon enough to save the driver’s life. However, the student’s quick thinking and the fact that he was carrying a cell phone showed how cell phones can be used to save lives and to provided security for our children.
At the same time, student held cell phones have become a bane for teachers in our school districts. In all of the school districts that I am familiar with, cell phones are not allowed to be turned on at all during school, and most districts do not even allow them to be visible, and with good reason. Cell phone communications in class are very distracting to the class, the teacher, as well as the student. The advent of text-messaging may have removed some of the distraction from the class, but requires even more focus and a greater distraction to the student, both sending and receiving messages. Lastly, most of the newer cell phones come with cameras that have ever-increasing resolution. All three of the technologies, voice, text and image have opened up serious security issues for the schools in that they allow the possibility for cheating on tests, and, I believe, violate federal school safety standards pertaining to in-school photography of minor students. 
This presents a major problem for the schools, which must enforce their policies.
However, cell phones have become so ingrained into our society that many, if not most students are absolutely defiant about relinquishing their phones if they choose to act against the rules. My wife is a high school teacher and has indicated that cell phones are at the heart of the vast majority of classroom disciplinary actions she has had to deal with in the last few years. Ironically, it appears that the majority of the parents agree with the students, insisting that they must be able to contact their child at all times, making the problem even more difficult to deal with. 
The problem also overflows into the home. In order to do well in school, we all need a reasonable amount of sleep. However, that is very difficult for a student if they are receiving phone calls from their friends into the wee hours of the night. Consequently they are unable to concentrate the next day. And you can imagine the screaming that goes on when parents try to collect cell phones at bed time (especially around our house).
I would love to see cell phone service providers come up with a program by which parents can remotely deactivate or minimize the services provided by their children’s cell phones; no text messaging, no photos and very limited voice, perhaps to parents and 911 only, particularly during school and late evening hours. Perhaps then our students could actually learn something, and the world would be a much more peaceful place.
Stephen Chauvin
The Woodlands, TX

Abstinence Is Best Medicine
There is controversy over Gov. Rick Perry’s mandate that girls who enter the 6th grade next year must be vaccinated against the HPV virus that causes cervical cancer. 
Throughout February, students who are members of the Louisiana Governor’s Program on Abstinence (GPA) will be celebrating Abstinence Appreciation. Valentine’s Day in particular is targeted to remind our youth that remaining abstinent is a HEALTHY choice.
The makers of Gardisil claims it will prevent 2 strains of the HPV virus which causes 70% of cervical cancer. What about the other 98 strains of HPV? What about the emotional consequences of out-of wedlock sexual activity which studies have shown leads to suicidal tendencies?
The truth remains that abstinence is 100% effective against 100% of all STDs 100% of the time. Our youth deserve to be given information and encouragement that will help them make healthy choices.
Fortunately LA Gov. Kathleen Blanco and Pres. George Bush both support the abstinence message. If Hollywood, the media, music industry and others would embrace this message as well instead of promoting the “free love” message, we can make great strides in our culture. 
The GPA clubs in LA represented by 300 schools and over 5000 students are making a difference!! Let’s join them in promoting the abstinence message, versus allowing the drug companies to dictate our value system.
LaBetha Casey, Regional Director
Governor’s Program on Abstinence
State of Louisiana

Born In The U-S-A
Different languages and other "diversities" divide, disintegrate and eventually destroy nations. That is not a personal opinion. It is an historical fact.
One of the great unifiers on our school campuses is athletics. Schools that
excel in one sport or another have more school pride and unity than those who do not, among the student body and alumni. They are the schools most students want to attend. Those schools tend to have...not only the best athletic programs...but the best academic programs, too.
Whether white, black, or some other skin tone, we in the United States are all Americans, and we should be proud of it. We can respect and honor our personal ancestry and heritage without declaring differences which have the real effect of dividing us, i. e. African American, Spanish American, Italian American, Irish American, etc. Differences segregate people and divide nations. 
I am English, German, French, Swiss, Dutch and other American. Wouldn't it be ridiculous for me to require you to identify me as such? I am an American, plain and simple. 
My younger stepson's 6 year old "genius" daughter speaks and writes English, Spanish, French and Chinese. Not all children are so fortunate. But she knows and understands that our USA language is English. So should everyone. 
Two old sayings are very true: "In unity, there is strength" and "Divide and
conquer." Let us, the U-S, never forget that.
We Americans must stay unified if our democratic republic is to survive.
Our flag is the Stars and Stripes. Our language is English. Our primary
document is the U. S. Constitution. And we are all Americans united in one
common cause - FREEDOM and all it entails, including "all people are created equal" and entitled to "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness!"
May God continue to richly us, the U-S.
R. T 'DAN' HANCHEY
Madison, Mississippi

The Bulletin Online
Thank you for your bulletin on Valentine's Day "festivities" in Houston. I had searched high and low and came up only with the idea of the Dos Brisas Inn for Valentine's Day reservations. For 1100.00 though, sure is a bad time for Valentine's Day to fall in the middle of the week. I called my husband in tears only an hour ago, demanding that he either FIGURE IT OUT or forget it... that I didn't care this year. That there was nothing worth spending that kind of money on when we would only worry about having to rush back for some NIGHTMARE with a project. Being the middle of the work week and trying to take time off to get away and make it worth it; sometimes don't go hand in hand. 
So~ through my frustrations, I gave it one last ditch effort in this 4th largest city in the US we all live in, to find something worthwhile to do on this ill fallen lover's holiday. When I did stumble onto your article. You have FINALLY made some valid, practical suggestions for the evening. I hadn't considered the Woodlands, fantastic idea... I keep forgetting that's there. And the suggestions for the quaint little places on Lake Conroe... Bravo! So, now I have some hope. Thank you. Unbelievable that the only thing on the main stream search for Houston Valentine's Day ideas are not ideas... Rather tacky looking cruise photos that make you get that taste in your mouth that old folks homes leave behind. Not SEXY! I'll leave the names out, but search and you'll see... 
Your article should be commended. Someone with half of a brain finally suggested something practical and fresh sounding. Thanks a lot. You should do a piece on that new little hideway. The Hideaway at the Horseshoe or something or other in the Hill Country. I bet people don't know that's there either. I found it searching for Valentines Day stuff to do.... Cupid!~ We'll see
Thanks for all your help. 
Jennifer

If George Can’t Do It
Minority Leader Boehner (who gets his orders directly from Rove) said, “And for those who don't agree with the president's plan, what's their alternative, what's their plan?
Three California Democrats, Congresswomen Maxine Waters, Lynn Woolsey and Barbara Lee have introduced their Bring Our Troops Home and Sovereignty of Iraq Restoration Act to the Congress.
They say the bill would include the following:
1. Withdraw all U.S. troops and military contractors from Iraq within six months from date of enactment.
2. Prohibit any further funding to deploy, or continue to deploy U.S. troops in Iraq. The bill does, however, allow for funding to be used, as needed, to ensure a safe withdrawal of all US military personnel and contractors. Funding may also be used for the increased training and equipping of Iraqi and international security forces.
3. Accelerate, during the six month transition, training of a permanent Iraqi security force.
4. Authorize, if requested by the Iraqi government, U.S. support for an international stabilization force. Such a force would be funded for no longer than two years, and be combined with economic and humanitarian assistance.
5. Guarantee full health care funding, including mental health, for U.S. veterans of military operations in Iraq and other conflicts.
6. Rescind the Congressional Authorization for the War in Iraq.
7. Prohibit the construction of permanent US military bases in the country.
8. Finally, we believe the Iraqi oil belongs to the Iraqis. Once the oil is in the international market, we will have access to our share. That's why our bill ensures the U.S. has no long-term control over Iraqi oil.
Men have long been expert at starting wars but they don't seem to know how to end one. Maybe it's time the women had a chance. 
Bill Barnes
Conroe, TX

The King of Texas
Have you heard that last November Texans elected a new King? That’s right; with less than 40% of the vote, Governor Rick Perry, or should I say “his majesty,” has taken the throne by storm. 
In The Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson denounced in the strongest possible terms the refusal of the king to give respectful consideration to the petitions of the people: “… our repeated petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.” Evidently, the Governor is confused about his function as Governor and about a few other things.
Take for example Perry’s latest abuse of power – his executive order mandating that 6th grade girls be required to receive the controversial HPV vaccination series of three shots. The vaccine has not been fully tested and its future effects are unknown. 
Yes, the vaccine is the first ever to prevent cervical cancer or any form of cancer, and yes, a growing number of women are contracting HPV, which can cause cervical cancer. HPV, however, is a sexually-transmitted disease, and unlike the Governor’s analogy of vaccinating for the polio virus?not a sexually-transmitted disease, the polio vaccine totally eradicates the disease. The HPV vaccine is a preventative measure only that may reduce the number of cervical cancer cases. According to WebMD (www.webmd.com), the vaccine “lasts at least four years” with “long-term results . . . not yet certain.” The vaccine?a preventative for only four strains of over 30 strains of HPD?does not protect against all cervical cancer; women will still need yearly PAP smears to check for cancer. 
After the Governor’s wielding such power during the 80th Legislative Session, I must ask, what is the point of having a Texas House and Senate? Remember, legislation addressing this issue has already been filed. Why did Perry choose not to let it be debated? One can only speculate, but it is certainly at least questionable since the drug’s manufacturer Merck has invested millions of dollars into lobbying efforts, which includes hiring Perry’s former Chief of Staff, Mike Toomey, as Merck’s head lobbyist.
Talk about a slap in the face to our representative bodies in the Legislature! Does the Governor have no respect for them, their responsibilities, or the people of Texas?
Thankfully, however, true Republicans have come out ready to fight. >From Senators Hegar (R-Katy) and Nelson (R-Denton), to Representatives Keffer (R-Eastland) and Flynn (R-Canton), there is an organized effort to find a solution, and they are not only challenging Governor Perry to rescind the order, but also they are requesting the Attorney General investigate whether Perry has in fact abused his power.
I strongly encourage everyone to call Governor Perry’s office today and let him know you are against usurping the power of the legislature, wiping out parental rights, and mandating a vaccine with unknown future consequences! Governor Rick Perry online: www.governor.state.tx.us/contact  
Gina Parker Ford
Waco Texas

Paying Too Much For Electricity? Switch 
Many Texans are frustrated with higher electric rates following the spike in natural gas prices over the last few years.
But despite the complaints, most Texas consumers hold plenty of sway regarding the prices they pay for electricity.
When your cable TV bill gets too high, you can switch to satellite providers. Home telephone too expensive? Go with voice-over-Internet protocol. Don’t like your cellular service? The kiosk at the mall will give you a free camera phone if you’ll switch. We routinely comparison shop for cars, for groceries, for clothes, for insurance… Why not shop for electricity?
In fact, we can. For the last three years, about 80 percent of Texas residential customers have had the option to change their electric provider based on lower rates, stable billing, or good service. Yet there are still those who want to blame today’s prices on deregulation and big business. 
Perhaps an example will be instructive on this point. 
For my first several years in Austin, my apartment rents rose about 10 percent a year. The tech boom brought tons of people to the area, occupancy rates ran in the 98-99 percent range, and home prices were escalating. Although it may have been a “sellers market,” there was certainly no shortage of buyers.
But in 2000, the dot.com bubble burst. By the following year, the definition of B2C changed from “Business 2 Commerce” to “Back 2 Cleveland.” Customers disappeared in droves. Apartment developers were bringing new developments online but couldn’t find any renters. In my current neighborhood, these new communities were offering three free months on a 12-month lease just to get people in the door.
By contrast, my apartment complex proposed a 5 percent rent increase when my renewal came up. I looked at the rental landscape, saw that home prices and mortgage rates had dropped to a range I could justify, and decided that I would buy a house instead.
In the month after I turned in my notice, there was a moving truck in front of a different building every day, taking former neighbors out and not bringing anyone in. It wasn’t long before the complex looked like a ghost town.
But a couple of months later, the complex was advertising free-rent promotions similar to what their competitors had used to lure away their residents. The rents for that complex remain lower today than they were five years ago. 
The moral of the story is that while businesses want to keep their profits high, in a free market they are powerless to do so unless they have the cooperation of consumers. 
There has been much hand wringing about what would happen when the last vestige of rate regulation – the “price to beat” – disappeared on Jan. 1. We are already starting to see the answer: more companies are offering lower rates in response to consumer demand.
According to the Public Utility Commission’s PowerToChoose.com website, there are now electric companies serving my neighborhood that offer rates one-third below the former “price to beat.” I just switched my electric provider for the third time because the company I had been with no longer offers a competitive rate.
Of course, many consumers value factors like reliability, service and price stability over low prices, and are willing to pay more to get them. Competent retailers will in turn offer products suited for these customers. We shouldn’t berate companies for meeting consumer demand.
Instead of asking the PUC to re-regulate the electric industry, why not have it deregulate those areas where customers still don’t have choices? The key to lower electric prices is more competition, not more regulation.
David Guenthner
Texas Public Policy Foundation

The Other Insurance Crises
While everyone has their focus on health insurance reform there is also a problem with auto insurance and its not all the insurance companies fault it is also with the consumer. A friend of mine's daughter was at a stop light and a car came crashing into her. The driver said it was his fault and gave her an insurance card for his liability. It was later found out that his insurance card was worthless, and my friends daughter had liability insurance only. So basically the other driver totaled her car and walked away without any responsibility. 
And now he is still driving his uninsured 
car around and my friends daughter has no car now. I think the penalty for driving with no insurance should be much more than just a two hundred and something dollar fine. The biggest problem is a lot of people will go and pay the downpayment on a policy just to get a card to get pass state laws and never pay one penny on their premiums and let their insurance get cancelled. But they can get by police, get an inspection sticker, and register their car with their brand new worthless insurance card. 
So my word to Texas lawmakers is please change the insurance laws to where insurance companies have to notify someone when a policy has been cancelled and have it to where these bogus insurance cards can be verified before registration, inspection, or traffic stop.
Kyle Palmer
Willis,Texas
(Editor's Note: Or you can do the easy thing Kyle. You can add underinsured /uninsured motorist to your policy. It cost about $12 a month for us to add it to our company vehicle. It covers up to $50,000 in damage and up to $300,000 in bodily injury. We were rear ended in our company van while we were stopped. The person who hit us was driving 55 and smashed another truck that was stopped behind us. She also had not been able to pay for her insurance after getting her card. However, our insurance company paid for everything: the full blue book cost of the van, doctors bills, expenses, and a little extra to the two of us that were in the van at the time of the accident for personnel injury. It’s a small amount of money for a lot of piece of mind. Especially when we all know how the game is played. And I like it better than having a state bar code tattooed on my forehead.)

Farming For Our Future
Thomas Jefferson once wrote, “Cultivators of the earth are the most valuable citizens. They are the most vigorous, the most independent, the most virtuous, and they are tied to their country and wedded to its liberty and interests by the most lasting bonds.”
More than 200 years later, farmers and ranchers in Texas continue to be tied to their country and wedded to its liberty. The agriculture industry contributes $73 billion to the Texas economy annually, and the work ethic and love of the land exhibited by Texas farm and ranch families embody many of our best values.
Texas is home to 230,000 farms covering almost 130 million acres, and we consistently rank as the nation’s leader in agriculture production of cotton, corn, wheat and livestock. Texas deserves a sound national farm policy, and I remain committed to doing all I can in the United States Senate to protect the needs of Texas farmers and ranchers.
For the past five years our state has benefited from the farm bill of 2002. This legislation provided a carefully crafted balance of support for commodities, conservation and nutrition. It also provided a necessary and adequate safety net for farmers and ranchers who not only produce our domestic food supply but feed much of the world as well.
The farm bill that I supported and Congress passed in 2002 was critical at the time because commodity prices were low, exports had declined for five consecutive years, and the average debt-to-asset ratio was nearly 15 percent. Since then, commodity prices have appreciated with exports increasing every year – reaching a record level of $68.7 billion in 2006 and projected to climb even higher in 2007 to $77 billion. In addition, the debt-to-asset ratio fell last year to 11 percent, the lowest ratio in recorded history, and renewable energy continues to boost rural economies. These achievements are the result of sound farm policy. However, the fundamentally sound policy has not fully protected our state’s farmers and ranchers from natural disasters that have hurt our producers. Drought and wildfires have negatively impacted many rural areas in Texas.
Since most farm bill programs are set to expire this year, I am working with my Senate colleagues on a proposal that extends the success of the current farm bill. The 2002 act worked for producers, and I believe we must continue to invest in farmers, ranchers and rural communities. One of my top priorities during the 110th Congress is ensuring the same predictable level of support for commodities, conservation and nutrition as provided by the successful 2002 farm bill, as well as addressing needs of rural areas.
The administration recently released a set of farm and rural support proposals for consideration. Texas would benefit significantly from $1.6 billion in proposed loans to complete the rehabilitation of the 1,283 nationwide certified Rural Critical Access Hospitals, of which 76 are in Texas. These hospitals provide vital services to communities for whom larger hospitals are inaccessible. Modernizing these hospitals will provide better health care to Texans across the state. Also proposed is an additional $500 million over 10 years in loans and grants to support the completion of rural infrastructure projects involving water supplies, waste disposal, distance learning and telemedicine.
I remain committed to developing and harvesting all available energy sources, including biofuels. While conventional ethanol is derived mainly from corn, there is vast potential in cellulosic ethanol, which can be made from switchgrass and sugarcane, both of which are economically feasible in Texas. The administration’s proposal provides $2.1 billion in loan guarantees to support cellulosic ethanol projects in rural areas and $150 million for biomass research competitive grants, focusing on cellulosic ethanol.
Agriculture is the first industry of America – the industry that feeds us, clothes us, and increasingly satisfies our energy needs. When farmers and ranchers thrive, our future grows brighter.
Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison

The Real Award Winners
Awards ceremonies for teachers will soon come up; however, the hardest working teachers are often overlooked.
Special education teachers have massive amounts of paperwork and regulations and are seldom in the spotlight. At New Caney High School they show some of the greatest compassion and patience for their students.
Harold Wilcox has put together some of the most incredible activities for his kids this school year. They are currently constructing a hybrid car that will probably get the attention of the rest of the country. This is an incredible project and his kids are very enthusiastic.
Much time is spent talking about what is wrong with education. We need to take some time to pat Mr. Wilcox and all the NCISD Special Education teachers on the back. They are doing an incredible job.
Jim Becka
Splendora, Texas

Presidential Folly
Almost every president has seemed to yearn for some enemy they can vanquish in order to preserve their place in history. Some had to be content with actually serving at the pleasure of the people. 
But illicit drugs were always a convenient peacetime enemy. President Reagan's 1988 “Anti-Drug Abuse Act promised a “drug-free America by 1995.”
“Victories” in the Drug War have always been artificially measured in number of arrests and “street value” of the drugs seized. Our prisons are full of minor offenders, guilty only of possession of marijuana, which Secretary of State George Schultz, President Jimmy Carter and (then) Congressman George H.W. Bush, have advocated de-criminalizing. Obviously, we're doing something wrong. 
Out of a total of 44,727 illicit drug-related deaths 1979-1998, only 23 died from marijuana. During this same 20 year period, there were 378,960 deaths directly attributed to alcohol and 330,000 Americans die every year from cigarettes.
America has fought some honorable wars. But we've gotten ourselves into some moronic doozies that brought catastrophic results:
VIETNAM WAR 
Unwinnable 
Indistinguishable enemy financed partly by illicit drugs 
Innocent Civilian Casualties 
Grassroots 0pposition 
Opposed By Generals-Congressmen. 
“Search & Destroy” 
Body Count “Victories” 
Dehumanizing Enemy
Fighting Communism 
Length: 21 Years 
Cost: $178 Billion 

DRUG WAR
Unwinnable
Indistinguishable Enemy financed by illicit drugs
Innocent Civilian Casualties
Grassroots Opposition
Opposed by Law Officers, judges, prosecutors.
“Search & Arrest”
Property Seizure “Victories”
Criminalizing Enemy
Fighting Drugs
Length: 34+ Years
Cost: $570.4 Billion +

IRAQ WAR 
Unwinnable
Indistinguishable Enemy financed by illicit drugs
Innocent Civilian Casualties
Grassroots Opposition 
Opposed by Generals, Congressmen, ex- Presidents.
“Search & Destroy” 
Body Count “Victories”
Dehumanizing Enemy 
Fighting Terrorism
Length: 4+ Years
Cost: $$347 Billion + 
Al Queda-controlled Afghanistan produces 90% of the world's heroin. Iranian Hezbollah operatives have developed strong relationships with major narco-terrorist and drug-trafficking organizations from Colombia, Peru, Bolivia, and Venezuela, and control the majority of heroin in Lebanon.
Perhaps getting out of Iraq and intelligently fighting the war on drugs might bankrupt the terrorists and our troops could stop dying for a president's legacy. 
Bill Barnes
Conroe, TX

Just Weak
Responding to letter from Peggy Walton. Instead of giving the President credit for his policies that have kept us safe since 9-11, which is an actual FACT, Ms. Walton chooses to use the term "Studies" which are NOT FACT, to state were are less safe. I have evidence to support my position, she does not. Its difficult to understand, I just write it off as Weak. I also have a lot of experiance, have lived 56 years, and have seen a lot, but I am very concerned about how weak and naive so many Americans, like Ms. Walton have made our country. 
Mike Wyble, 
Cypress Texas

A Question That Needs An Answer
A soldier back from Iraq, Bryan D. Catherman, asks a most pertinent question. 
"How can America expect to rebuild Baghdad when we have yet to rebuild New Orleans --- a city free of roadside bombs, insurgency, and civil war --- where we speak the same language --- where we ARE the government?
Mike Ford 
Austin, TX

Fiscal Insanity
When Congress adjourned on December 9th, the nation should have breathed a great sigh of relief. The old saw telling us that "no man's property is safe while the legislature is in session," comes to mind whenever the government officials decide to take a break. One of the last moves of our leaders involved continuing some tax cuts. But spending also needs to be cut! The accumulated national debt now tops $8 trillion; the current fiscal year will have a red ink total close to $300 billion; the dollar's value is sinking badly versus the Euro and other currencies; and our nation's trade deficit continues to soar. Every economic indicator practically screams that the nation should cease excessive spending, cut back or cancel many government programs, and cease passing along huge indebtedness to future generations.
Meanwhile, I read in the financial journals that foreign holders of U.S. debt such as Communist China have been given power to dictate U.S. policy. Should China and these other countries decide to sell their U.S. bonds, a worldwide depression felt most intensely right here in the United States would result.
Fiscal sanity hasn't been practiced for decades. And the Bush administration along with a compliant Congress shows no signs whatsoever of restoring fiscal responsibility.
Matt K. Davis
Henderson, NV

Roy Head
Great story. I've been knowing Roy for a lot of years as a fan and a DJ who played Roy's breaks. The best story I ever heard was about the time Elvis was playing the dome and met Roy and invited him over after the show. The Presley Gang wouldn't let Roy in the room which disturbed Roy quite a lot. The way they got Elvis out of the motel was to park a limo out front and the fans would swarm it. Elvis would be sneaked out the Kitchen and into one of the Hotel vans and across the street to the dome. Well Roy hid in the kitchen and when Elvis came by Roy dived over the table and tackled Elvis and bit him on the ankle. When Elvis started the show in San Antonio the next night he told everyone to watch out for Roy because he had bit him on the ankle the day before. I don't know how true it is but Roy just laughs. 
Raymond Grimmer

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