Is it safe out there in cyber space!?

Wouldn’t the cyber world be a lot nicer without SPAM? I think it will be nice already if we have a day without junk mail. As much as 75% percent of the junk mail that clogs our computer has come from the hosting service McColo Corp., in San Jose. They were accused of providing servers for criminal activity and to distribute child pornography. McColo has also been linked to identity theft and stolen bank and credit card account information. Are they one the fewest in the cyber world? **** no!

The spammers and cyber criminals are so fasinating in a way that you would never come to believe. They use trojan horse programs to sneak into personal and corporate computers then link them to send spam or worse ( VIRUSES!!). An innocent screen saver can link a computer to a spam network without the user knowning. Cyber world is suppose be the safest place for us to explore and generate business on a daily basis. Unfortunately, there’s already theives/robbers outside the wires( in the real world) but what seems like now there’s a lot more thieves mopping online. It is going to influence our children /students dramatically since technology is what they rely on to expand their knowledge.

Can antiviral softwares be any help? Maybe but not really!! Cyber criminals doesn’t partner up with stupid folks with basic computer skills, they shake hands with PROFESSIONlAL HACKERS, people with master degrees in software tech. Not only will effect the mind of young children in danger but it will also do harm as a whole. People and businesses will be too terrified to work around the cyber world. No one will want to take advantage of the advancement in speed and international communication. We should diffinitely as a state regulate and put effort into yanking these morbid servers out of cyber space. Just like anything else that the government inspect and investigate on a yearly or monthly basis, the cyber world inspection needs to have the same attention and strict regulations.

ALERT! FRAUD!

Based on an article I read from a colleague’s blog “Photo Fraud,” agrues that it should be mandatory that we present our photo identification when it comes to voting. The author also uses a political cartoon to illustrate and strengthen his/her argument. We’ve tried pushing this bill through the states’ legislative but it has failed. Republicans say that it is needed to be presented from qualify citizens to vote. On the other hand the author mentions that Democrats insist that it is a discrimination approach and voting fraudulent is not a serious issue to be resolved. I agree with this author because we do present our photo identification just about every where else and so why would it be wrong to show it at the voting booth.

Voting probably carries a lesser risk of responsibilities comparing it to the times like buying alcohol, over the counter prescriptions, renting movies that we have to show our identification. I definitely think that we ought to do something about this. Voting responsibility is as important to anything else in society that requires photo identification. We should all carry some sort of state identification to function in this society any way so it shouldn’t be a question of discrimination to the minorities unless the minorities that we are referring to are illegal residents.


Every legal citizen have earned to the right to vote one way or other. We don’t want to give gap to the illegal residents that are in the United States to possess the right to vote or encourage any photo fraud activities.Especially with the numerous cases of fraud floating in United States we should take caution when it comes to casting votes for political measures. As a united nation we need to resolve this and projecting ridiculous reasons to not enforce this!

Let's Clearup Traffic Congestion!

For all those people that have experienced the traffic congestion in central Texas yearn for the government to do something about it. We talk about Central Texas transportation issues and think of many solutions to solve it but the changes never took into place. Traffic congestion is not like the weather, we have the control over it. I believe we need to get together and treat this as a region’s traffic problem not just a downtown Austin problem. We need easier access to all the different regions that we are heading towards like MoPac Boulevard (loop 1) and the northbound lanes of Interstate 35.

Everyone is hungry for better access, for a system that connects them to all places they need and want to go. What we need is a regional transit system, one that connects all areas of our region such as one that uses the right system for the connections, whether commuter rail, light rail, ultra light rail, streetcars, trolleys, express buses, bus rapid transit or local bus. We should really use the existing rail lines to add commuter rail from Elgin/Manor to Austin. We need to link Georgetown/Round Rock and Austin using a commuter. Then finally we need a link from downtown to Austin-Berg storm International Airport. The new, wide open roads and trafficking will help clear up alot of traffic congestion. With all these positive changes everyone will be much happier and safer. We will wake up next day for work and will not be hesitant to get onto Interstate 35 or onto any other regions.

New Growth

I enjoyed reading an article called, “House vs. Tree” written by a colleague, Sunday. Its main focus is the economic crisis and how there is still a cap in the housing industry. Many new houses and new developments that were suppose to emerge have halted because the lack of funds and profits. Austin with its bustling is certainly suffering overall from the US economy and experiencing the trickle down effect. The cause of that fewer people are moving into Austin and lesser companies willing to give money for housing development means that there are fewer jobs and money. Bigger cities with a larger population are not doing so well compare to the smaller cities. We need to come together and agree on a plan that will help the market pick itself up. We shouldn’t completely wipe out all the green trees for our gain but we can’t afford to not sacrifice it either for new constructions. We need the bigger companies to help develop the smaller companies to grow and provide new jobs and bring in new money to the economy. I would say yes to more road construction, better lighting systems and timers. I agree with Sunday that we need to seek opportunities for more economic growth in our city but at the same time we should do something to help our country keep the green nature.

In an editorial, “Plan could help Reagan High School trim dropout rate”, written by the editorial board in the American Statesman, Eric Sanchez speaks of a plan to get youngsters back on school campus. Eric Sanchez is a very educated dropout intervention specialist that knows a great deal about why students drop out. He learned over the years that students who disappear before graduation tend to do so because of their own workload at home like taking care of their children. Besides the other reasons like drugs, students falling into gangs or just loose interest in school, I completely agree that we need a plan. Now, there is no surprise that young students get carried away with personal, love-like relationships at such an early age and get caught in it making it difficult to finish high school. In addition, there are students out there who want to continue school but can’t because they have to work to help parents pay bills. Sanchez figures that Reagan High School could retain most potential dropouts if the school offered a self-paced program similar to the one at Garza High School. The school day is broken into two four- hour sessions, so students attend from 8 a.m. to 12 noon or from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. It will be easier for students to work around their work schedule for only four hours of school instead of a full day. Reagan faces closure by the state in 2009 if it receives flunking grade on the state’s report card as it has for three consecutive years. Reagan must show significant progress on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills and reduce its dropout rate to earn a passing grade and remain open. I think not only will this plan work like it is at another high school but it will do well for our future as a whole. We need knowledgeable, self-motivated, and educated students to get out into society to make a difference and enlighten others. This plan that Eric Sanchez is speaking of is a great way for other high schools to consider and act on if school officials want a more lasting solution to reduce drop out rates.

Hurrican Ike!

After the destructive hurricane Ike thrashed Galveston with 110-mph winds and a power storm surge the city prepares for recovery and residents’ return in an article by the American Statesman, "Galveston plans for residents' return." Authorities laid out a plan on Friday to let approximately 45,000 evacuees return back to Galveston Island but it will probably be another week before we see that happening. Crews were only beginning to get basic services restored on the smashed island. One of the pumps about two blocks behind Galveston seawall came back on Friday. Cell phone services are mostly restored and power was gradually coming back on. "Residents will be allowed to return in phases, starting from the least damaged areas, primarily behind the seawall on the east side of the island, then gradually out to the heavily damaged west end," City Manager Steve LeBlanc said. While the island's only hospital was still days and weeks from recovering itself, about 90 people a day were being treated for minor injuries at the University of Texas Medical Branch. People with more fatal injuries were still being sent by ambulance or helicopter to hospitals on the mainland however, officials warned that the island is still vulnerable to diseases. An obstacle to reopening the island is its crippled water system. There is more water flowing out of the city's pips than is flowing in. No one knows when this island will be healthy enough to sustain a population but no doubt will it take years and millions to restore order in the city.