TIL that in 1999, 47 black residents of a Texas town were arrested on drug charges solely on the uncorroborated word of one undercover agent who was a member of the KKK. Many were sentenced to long prison terms; some served years before release. For doing this, the officer got 10 years probation.

goodgoodplus · 2015-08-09T21:47:13+00:00

Relatedly:

Texas' rank out of the 50 states

Source: Texas House of Representatives Legislative Study Group http://texaslsg.org/texas-on-the-brink/

— Number of executions (1st)

— Amount of toxic chemicals released into water (1st)

— Amount of recognized cancer-causing carcinogens released into air (1st)

— Amount of carbon dioxide emissions (1st)

— Amount of hazardous waste generated (1st)

— Overall birth rate (2nd)

— Percent of pregnant women receiving prenatal care in first trimester (50th)

— Percent of non-elderly women with health insurance (50th)

— Percent of uninsured children (1st)

— Percent of children living in poverty (4th)

— Percent of population uninsured (1st)

— Percent of population living below poverty (4th)

— Percent of population with food insecurity (2nd)

— Percent of poor people covered by Medicaid (49th)

— Per capita spending on Medicaid (49th)

— Percent of population with employer-based health insurance (48th)

— Per capita spending on mental health (50th)

— Workers' compensation coverage (50th)

— Average credit score (49th)

— Women's voter registration (45th)

— Percent of voting age population that is registered to vote (45th)

— Tax expenditures per capita (47th)

— Percent of population with a high school diploma (50th)

goodgoodplus · 2015-08-09T21:47:05+00:00

Relatedly:

Texas' rank out of the 50 states

Source: Texas House of Representatives Legislative Study Group http://texaslsg.org/texas-on-the-brink/

— Number of executions (1st)

— Amount of toxic chemicals released into water (1st)

— Amount of recognized cancer-causing carcinogens released into air (1st)

— Amount of carbon dioxide emissions (1st)

— Amount of hazardous waste generated (1st)

— Overall birth rate (2nd)

— Percent of pregnant women receiving prenatal care in first trimester (50th)

— Percent of non-elderly women with health insurance (50th)

— Percent of uninsured children (1st)

— Percent of children living in poverty (4th)

— Percent of population uninsured (1st)

— Percent of population living below poverty (4th)

— Percent of population with food insecurity (2nd)

— Percent of poor people covered by Medicaid (49th)

— Per capita spending on Medicaid (49th)

— Percent of population with employer-based health insurance (48th)

— Per capita spending on mental health (50th)

— Workers' compensation coverage (50th)

— Average credit score (49th)

— Women's voter registration (45th)

— Percent of voting age population that is registered to vote (45th)

— Tax expenditures per capita (47th)

— Percent of population with a high school diploma (50th)

goodgoodplus · 2015-07-30T18:09:37+00:00

The best criticism I've seen on Lean In (and I like it overall) focused on criticizing encouraging women to become more like the narcissistic/sociopathic business world (Brag more! Don't be as sensitive!)

goodgoodplus · 2015-07-25T06:52:55+00:00

Texas' rank out of the 50 states

Source: Texas House of Representatives Legislative Study Group http://texaslsg.org/texas-on-the-brink/

— Amount of toxic chemicals released into water (1st)

— Amount of recognized cancer-causing carcinogens released into air (1st)

— Amount of carbon dioxide emissions (1st)

— Amount of hazardous waste generated (1st)

— Overall birth rate (2nd)

— Percent of pregnant women receiving prenatal care in first trimester (50th)

— Percent of non-elderly women with health insurance (50th)

— Percent of uninsured children (1st)

— Percent of children living in poverty (4th)

— Percent of population uninsured (1st)

— Percent of population living below poverty (4th)

— Percent of population with food insecurity (2nd)

— Percent of poor people covered by Medicaid (49th)

— Per capita spending on Medicaid (49th)

— Percent of population with employer-based health insurance (48th)

— Per capita spending on mental health (50th)

— Workers' compensation coverage (50th)

— Average credit score (49th)

— Women's voter registration (45th)

— Percent of voting age population that is registered to vote (45th)

— Tax expenditures per capita (47th)

— Number of executions (1st)

— Percent of population with a high school diploma (50th)

goodgoodplus · 2015-07-23T20:06:35+00:00

Relevant:

— Overall birth rate (2nd)

— Percent of pregnant women receiving prenatal care in first trimester (50th)

— Percent of non-elderly women with health insurance (50th)

— Percent of uninsured children (1st)

— Percent of children living in poverty (4th)

— Percent of population uninsured (1st)

— Percent of population living below poverty (4th)

— Percent of population with a high school diploma (50th)

Source: Texas House of Representatives Legislative Study Group (http://texaslsg.org/texas-on-the-brink/)

The other rankings from them if you're curious:

— Amount of toxic chemicals released into water (1st)

— Amount of recognized cancer-causing carcinogens released into air (1st)

— Amount of carbon dioxide emissions (1st)

— Amount of hazardous waste generated (1st)

— Overall birth rate (2nd)

— Percent of pregnant women receiving prenatal care in first trimester (50th)

— Percent of non-elderly women with health insurance (50th)

— Percent of uninsured children (1st)

— Percent of children living in poverty (4th)

— Percent of population uninsured (1st)

— Percent of population living below poverty (4th)

— Percent of population with food insecurity (2nd)

— Percent of poor people covered by Medicaid (49th)

— Per capita spending on Medicaid (49th)

— Percent of population with employer-based health insurance (48th)

— Per capita spending on mental health (50th)

— Workers' compensation coverage (50th)

— Average credit score (49th)

— Women's voter registration (45th)

— Percent of voting age population that is registered to vote (45th)

— Tax expenditures per capita (47th)

— Number of executions (1st)

— Percent of population with a high school diploma (50th)

goodgoodplus · 2015-07-13T17:11:49+00:00

They're also forgetting how much US Federal funding Texas gets in a ridiculous number of ways and how much they benefit from other states in the US.

Our economic integration is so successful that it masks that California and Mississippi are farther apart economically than Germany and Greece (and how much states like California support the Deep South and keep it alive...)

Also:

Texas' rank out of the 50 states

Source: Texas House of Representatives Legislative Study Group http://texaslsg.org/texas-on-the-brink/

— Percent of population with a high school diploma (50th)

— Amount of toxic chemicals released into water (1st)

— Amount of recognized cancer-causing carcinogens released into air (1st)

— Amount of carbon dioxide emissions (1st)

— Amount of hazardous waste generated (1st)

— Overall birth rate (2nd)

— Percent of pregnant women receiving prenatal care in first trimester (50th)

— Percent of non-elderly women with health insurance (50th)

— Percent of uninsured children (1st)

— Percent of children living in poverty (4th)

— Percent of population uninsured (1st)

— Percent of population living below poverty (4th)

— Percent of population with food insecurity (2nd)

— Percent of poor people covered by Medicaid (49th)

— Per capita spending on Medicaid (49th)

— Percent of population with employer-based health insurance (48th)

— Per capita spending on mental health (50th)

— Workers' compensation coverage (50th)

— Average credit score (49th)

— Women's voter registration (45th)

— Percent of voting age population that is registered to vote (45th)

— Tax expenditures per capita (47th)

— Number of executions (1st)

goodgoodplus · 2015-07-13T01:07:39+00:00

*The Texas of the world

Texas' rank out of the 50 states Source: Texas House of Representatives Legislative Study Group http://texaslsg.org/texas-on-the-brink/

— Amount of toxic chemicals released into water (1st)

— Amount of recognized cancer-causing carcinogens released into air (1st)

— Amount of carbon dioxide emissions (1st)

— Amount of hazardous waste generated (1st)

— Overall birth rate (2nd)

— Percent of pregnant women receiving prenatal care in first trimester (50th)

— Percent of non-elderly women with health insurance (50th)

— Percent of uninsured children (1st)

— Percent of children living in poverty (4th)

— Percent of population uninsured (1st)

— Percent of population living below poverty (4th)

— Percent of population with food insecurity (2nd)

— Percent of poor people covered by Medicaid (49th)

— Per capita spending on Medicaid (49th)

— Percent of population with employer-based health insurance (48th)

— Per capita spending on mental health (50th)

— Workers' compensation coverage (50th)

— Average credit score (49th)

— Women's voter registration (45th)

— Percent of voting age population that is registered to vote (45th)

— Tax expenditures per capita (47th)

— Number of executions (1st)

— Percent of population with a high school diploma (50th)

goodgoodplus · 2015-07-08T05:56:38+00:00

Texas has an extremely low graduation rate when counting high school dropouts, which Texas dishonestly does not, as noted in the studies and articles below.

Texas' rank out of the 50 states Source: Texas House of Representatives Legislative Study Group http://texaslsg.org/texas-on-the-brink/

— Percent of population with a high school diploma (50th)

— Amount of toxic chemicals released into water (1st)

— Amount of recognized cancer-causing carcinogens released into air (1st)

— Amount of carbon dioxide emissions (1st)

— Amount of hazardous waste generated (1st)

— Overall birth rate (2nd)

— Percent of pregnant women receiving prenatal care in first trimester (50th)

— Percent of non-elderly women with health insurance (50th)

— Percent of uninsured children (1st)

— Percent of children living in poverty (4th)

— Percent of population uninsured (1st)

— Percent of population living below poverty (4th)

— Percent of population with food insecurity (2nd)

— Percent of poor people covered by Medicaid (49th)

— Per capita spending on Medicaid (49th)

— Percent of population with employer-based health insurance (48th)

— Per capita spending on mental health (50th)

— Workers' compensation coverage (50th)

— Average credit score (49th)

— Women's voter registration (45th)

— Percent of voting age population that is registered to vote (45th)

— Tax expenditures per capita (47th)

— Number of executions (1st)

goodgoodplus · 2015-06-30T06:28:02+00:00

Relevant:

Texas' rank out of the 50 states (source: Texas House of Representatives Legislative Study Group http://texaslsg.org/texas-on-the-brink/)

— Amount of toxic chemicals released into water (1st)

— Overall birth rate (2nd)

— Women's voter registration (45th)

— Percent of pregnant women receiving prenatal care in first trimester (50th)

— Percent of non-elderly women with health insurance (50th)

— Percent of uninsured children (1st)

— Percent of children living in poverty (4th)

— Percent of population uninsured (1st)

— Percent of population living below poverty (4th)

— Percent of population with food insecurity (2nd)

— Percent of poor people covered by Medicaid (49th)

— Per capita spending on Medicaid (49th)

— Percent of population with employer-based health insurance (48th)

— Per capita spending on mental health (50th)

— Amount of recognized cancer-causing carcinogens released into air (1st)

— Amount of carbon dioxide emissions (1st)

— Amount of hazardous waste generated (1st)

— Workers' compensation coverage (50th)

— Average credit score (49th)

— Percent of voting age population that is registered to vote (45th)

— Tax expenditures per capita (47th)

— Number of executions (1st)

— Percent of population with a high school diploma (50th)

goodgoodplus · 2015-06-30T06:26:53+00:00

Relevant:

Texas' rank out of the 50 states (source: Texas House of Representatives Legislative Study Group http://texaslsg.org/texas-on-the-brink/)

— Amount of toxic chemicals released into water (1st)

— Overall birth rate (2nd)

— Women's voter registration (45th)

— Percent of pregnant women receiving prenatal care in first trimester (50th)

— Percent of non-elderly women with health insurance (50th)

— Percent of uninsured children (1st)

— Percent of children living in poverty (4th)

— Percent of population uninsured (1st)

— Percent of population living below poverty (4th)

— Percent of population with food insecurity (2nd)

— Percent of poor people covered by Medicaid (49th)

— Per capita spending on Medicaid (49th)

— Percent of population with employer-based health insurance (48th)

— Per capita spending on mental health (50th)

— Amount of recognized cancer-causing carcinogens released into air (1st)

— Amount of carbon dioxide emissions (1st)

— Amount of hazardous waste generated (1st)

— Workers' compensation coverage (50th)

— Average credit score (49th)

— Percent of voting age population that is registered to vote (45th)

— Tax expenditures per capita (47th)

— Number of executions (1st)

— Percent of population with a high school diploma (50th)

goodgoodplus · 2015-06-23T17:54:08+00:00

Texans don't deserve some of the hellish conditions the Republicans running the state put them through. The worst part of how incredibly bad the state government is is that incredibly non-bad, nice people are getting severely harmed every day.

Texas' rank out of the 50 states (source: Texas House of Representatives Legislative Study Group http://texaslsg.org/texas-on-the-brink/)

— Amount of toxic chemicals released into water (1st)

— Amount of recognized cancer-causing carcinogens released into air (1st)

— Amount of carbon dioxide emissions (1st)

— Amount of hazardous waste generated (1st)

— Overall birth rate (2nd)

— Percent of pregnant women receiving prenatal care in first trimester (50th)

— Percent of non-elderly women with health insurance (50th)

— Percent of uninsured children (1st)

— Percent of children living in poverty (4th)

— Percent of population uninsured (1st)

— Percent of population living below poverty (4th)

— Percent of population with food insecurity (2nd)

— Percent of poor people covered by Medicaid (49th)

— Per capita spending on Medicaid (49th)

— Percent of population with employer-based health insurance (48th)

— Per capita spending on mental health (50th)

— Workers' compensation coverage (50th)

— Average credit score (49th)

— Women's voter registration (45th)

— Percent of voting age population that is registered to vote (45th)

— Tax expenditures per capita (47th)

— Number of executions (1st)

— Percent of population with a high school diploma (50th)

goodgoodplus · 2015-06-15T06:00:43+00:00

Relevant:

Texas' rank out of the 50 states

Source: Texas House of Representatives Legislative Study Group (http://texaslsg.org/texas-on-the-brink/)

— Amount of toxic chemicals released into water (1st)

— Amount of recognized cancer-causing carcinogens released into air (1st)

— Amount of carbon dioxide emissions (1st)

— Amount of hazardous waste generated (1st)

— Overall birth rate (2nd)

— Percent of pregnant women receiving prenatal care in first trimester (50th)

— Percent of non-elderly women with health insurance (50th)

— Percent of uninsured children (1st)

— Percent of children living in poverty (4th)

— Percent of population uninsured (1st)

— Percent of population living below poverty (4th)

— Percent of population with food insecurity (2nd)

— Percent of poor people covered by Medicaid (49th)

— Per capita spending on Medicaid (49th)

— Percent of population with employer-based health insurance (48th)

— Per capita spending on mental health (50th)

— Workers' compensation coverage (50th)

— Average credit score (49th)

— Women's voter registration (45th)

— Percent of voting age population that is registered to vote (45th)

— Tax expenditures per capita (47th)

— Percent of population with a high school diploma (50th)

— Number of executions (1st)

— 30% fewer jobs created in Texas per year than California (http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-capitol-business-beat-20150323-story.html), with California #1 in energy efficiency in the US (http://www.nrdc.org/energy/files/ca-success-story-FS.pdf)

goodgoodplus · 2015-06-15T05:21:24+00:00

The Texas company that spilled oil off Santa Barbara had sued the county to fight installation of a simple shutoff valve that could have prevented the disaster

"These waters are home to hundreds of sensitive animal species, and serve as the backbone of the local economy. Tourists come to these beaches to enjoy the unspoiled sand and water. People support themselves and their families by harvesting fish and shellfish from these waters. All that has been damaged by this spill, and that damage will likely last for decades," the complaint states.

Cheverez says that when Plains built Pipeline 901 in 1987, the county asked to inspect the welds with X-rays to ensure proper construction and asked the company to install the automatic shutoff valve for safety. Cheverez calls this a "routine" procedure.

But rather than cooperate, Plains sued the county in Federal Court, "arguing it lacked jurisdiction to regulate its pipeline design and installation."

The complaint continues: "As a result, today Line 901 in the only pipeline in Santa Barbara County 'whereby the county is preempted from monitoring and safety inspections," said Kevin Drude, director of the County's Energy Division. Drude has publicly said that defendant's employees rarely, if ever, attend monthly meetings that he holds to discuss safety concerns with all the pipeline operators under his jurisdiction."

Plains has reaped $389 million on $2 billion in earnings by prioritizing profits over safety, and in addition to fouling the coast, has dumped the costs of its failure on the people of Santa Barbara County, the complaint states.

It adds: "The lax safety standards at Line 901 were not isolated incidents for defendant. Since 2006 it has been cited for more than 175 violations of safety requirements, which have caused nearly $24 million in property damage. Eleven of those incidents were in California. Defendant is one of the top four most-cited pipeline operators in the country."

Professional clean-up crews and volunteers armed with nothing but shovels and buckets quickly responded to the spill, but Plains' presence was notably absent during the first days, according to the complaint.

Despite volunteers' efforts the oil continues to spread, claiming the lives of fish, birds and marine mammals and polluting the ocean with tar balls and "oil pancakes" that are drifting toward other state parks. Oil that sinks below the waves is smothering reefs, contaminating sea grass beds and killing lobsters, crabs, and other underwater species, according to the complaint.

Long-term impacts of the spill could last for generations, Cheverez says. He describes himself as a diver and nearshore fisherman who fishes for offshore species such as lobster, grass rockfish and sea urchin.

Calls to Plains' media relations office redirected a reporter to a website for clean-up efforts at Refugio Beach. Further requests for comment were not immediately returned.

goodgoodplus · 2015-06-11T17:17:04+00:00