The Indian Panorama

Tag: Texas

  • AHMED SHAKIR – A man committed to community and country

    AHMED SHAKIR – A man committed to community and country

    A short, thin middle aged man- you may probably take him for just another man in the street. But no. He is not an ordinary man. He is not a man to be ignored. He is a man to be noticed. Inside the seemingly frail frame of the man is a powerhouse of energy. Besides his morning until late afternoon work, he is to be found at most social events. And then his job requires a lot of traveling. This is Ahmed Shakir, P.E.

    Shakir told me he has always been a hard working person. It was his love of work that brought him from India to the USA in 1969. While many come to this country to make money and to enjoy life, Shakir chose to get education. He received his B.S. and M.S. in structural engineering from the University of Texas.

    As a student he was active in international, Indian, and Muslim student associations because of his deep interest in social, community, and political activities. This initial commitment stemmed from his belief that everyone should dedicate some of their time to improving and serving their community.

    Over the past thirty years, Ahmed has been extensively involved in the union and labor activities. Consider his accomplishments.

     

    Yet another recognition.
    Yet another recognition.

    He is the first South Asian elected as Secretary of Civil Service Technical Guild which represents 7000 Engineers, Architects, Scientists, Etc. for five consecutive terms, since 1998.

    • He is the first South Asian to serve as Vice President on the Board of Directors of the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance of U.S.A.
    • He was on the Board of Directors of the Eastern Queens Democratic Party and a chair for the union and their political office.
    • He is a founding Vice President of the American Engineering Alliance which was established in 1996.
    • He is elected six consecutive terms as DC 37 Delegate.

     

    Society of Indo American Engineers and Architects honored Shakir at the annual gala in November 2014. He is seen here with Lok Sabha speaker Sumitra Mahajan who had given away the award. Also seen (second from left) is the Consul General of India in New York, Ambassador Dnyaneshwar Mulay.
    Society of Indo American Engineers and Architects honored Shakir at the annual gala in
    November 2014. He is seen here with Lok Sabha speaker Sumitra Mahajan who had given away
    the award. Also seen (second from left) is the Consul General of India in New York, Ambassador
    Dnyaneshwar Mulay.

    As Treasurer of FIA since 2009, Ahmed has been bringing new sponsors for FIA and helps FIA to connect with Senators, Congressmen and Political leaders at City and at the State level.

    Ahmed Shakir with New York City Comptroller Yet another recognition. Scott Stringer
    Ahmed Shakir with New York City Comptroller Yet another recognition. Scott Stringer

    Among his peers and colleagues, Ahmed has come to be seen as a man who promotes the idea and practice of tolerance in every facet of life. He believes that people should work together regardless of nationality, religion, or race, because peace and prosperity can only be achieved through non-violence, patience and service to the needy. Ahmed’s message to our community in USA is: come together and let us take a leadership role in our adopted country. This country gave us all the opportunity to make our dream come true. We should make every effort to support the various south Asian and Asian organizations to be successful and serve our community here and in India.

     

     

    Shakir with Congressman Joseph Crowley
    Shakir with Congressman Joseph Crowley

    Ahmed Shakir has been at pains to strike a balance between the various calls- family, work, community. He belongs to Bohra community, which has a small presence in the USA. Now Bohras in India are a prosperous trading community. They are known to be charitable and helping not only their own community but contributing to any humanitarian cause. Shakir who has been involved in the affairs of Bohra community in New York is also very close to the Bohra spiritual leaders. He has not only been a confidant of his spiritual masters but has also been honored for his valuable contribution to community. He is currently Hon. Secretary, Public Relations of the Dawoodi Bohra community in New York.

    Shakir with New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio
    Shakir with New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio

    For his work and services, Shakir has been recognized and honored at various levels. Some of the awards he won are Hero of Labor Award, Congressional Achievement Award, World Business Forum Lifetime Achievement Award, Excellence in Services Award from the Islamic Community, Friends of Labor award conferred on him by the Civil Services Technical Guild. He has been honored by a number of Organizations and associations. The Indo American Society of Engineers and Architects (SIAEA) honored him for his services to the profession in November 2014. Recipient of many commendations, Shakir has received a number of proclamations and citations from the City to the Congress.

    A jewel of the Indian American community, Shakir is a simple person imbued with a spirit to serve.

    Ahmed Shakir is married to Dr. Khadija and they live in Manhasset Hills, New York.

     

     

  • White House Asks for stay from Court to Allow Immigration Plan to Proceed

    White House Asks for stay from Court to Allow Immigration Plan to Proceed

    AUSTIN, Texas—The Obama administration on Monday asked a Texas federal judge to allow it to continue implementing the president’s immigration plan, arguing that the judge had veered from established immigration law by blocking the plan last week.

    The emergency request by the Justice Department asked U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen to render a decision by Wednesday, saying that otherwise, it may ask the Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans to quickly block the order.

    The stay, if granted, would allow the administration to continue laying the groundwork for its Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents program, which would permit about four million people in the country illegally to apply for deferred deportation and work authorizations.

    A stay also would allow the administration to begin a planned expansion of the 2012 program called Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, known as DACA, which allows relief for people brought to the U.S. as children.

    On Feb. 16, Judge Hanen blocked the administration from proceeding with the plans, which Mr. Obama announced in November, siding with Texas and officials from 25 other largely Republican states who had sued, alleging they represented an unconstitutional overreach of presidential power.

    Twelve other mostly Democratic states, as well as mayors from more than 30 cities including Los Angeles and New York, have filed briefs supporting the administration.

    The Obama administration on Monday filed a separate appeal of the injunction to the Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans. The fight quickly could move to the U.S. Supreme Court.

    In the brief requesting a stay, the federal government gave a glimpse into the arguments it plans to make to counter the states’ case. It contested the states’ standing to challenge policy decisions it says exclusively belong to the executive branch.

    It also argued that Judge Hanen, at a minimum, should allow the administration to continue implementing the immigration program outside of Texas, because his ruling detailed only the harm Texas would suffer if the program was instituted.

    The judge found that Texas would incur costs for processing driver’s licenses for individuals benefiting from the program.

    The government also argued that blocking the program’s implementation would frustrate “a comprehensive and integrated effort…to prioritize immigration enforcement efforts,” while costing federal taxpayers the salaries, rent and other expenses already set aside to process applications.

    The harm to federal interests, the administration said, far outweighed any Texas could claim.

    Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who is leading the suit by the states, said Monday it would press its challenge.

    “The attempts by the Obama administration to circumvent Congress and change federal immigration law by executive action were properly stayed by a federal court,” he said.

  • Highly skilled immigrant spouses can soon work in US on H-4 visa

    Highly skilled immigrant spouses can soon work in US on H-4 visa

    The Obama administration announced a visa rule revision that will let spouses of some highly skilled immigrants apply to work in the United States starting this year.

    Leon Rodriguez, director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, said the change will encourage more highly skilled workers to come to the United States on H-1B visas and apply for green cards to stay here. He said attracting those workers — and their spouses — will give a boost to America’s economy.

    “They are, in many cases, in their own right highly skilled workers,” Rodriguez told reporters, adding that many families struggled financially when a spouse couldn’t work, and in some cases returned to their country.

    Employers can hire foreign workers under H-1B visas after proving there are no qualified candidates available in the U.S. Each year about 85,000 are issued, mostly in tech firms.

    Until now, their spouses have been issued a different H-4 visa that made them ineligible to get aSocial Security number. They simply couldn’t legally earn any money.

    “This is a long-awaited change that will do nothing but good for all,” said Austin, Texas, immigration attorney Daniel Kowalski. “H-4 spouses will benefit, putting their skills to productive use, and easing the stress on families previously burdened by having one talented spouse sidelined. There is no downside.”

    Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., disagrees. In a news release, he said the spouses of foreign workers will take jobs away from Americans.

    “The administration says this is to reduce the ‘personal stresses’ on guest workers. What about the stresses on American workers, and their families and spouses, and their children?” Sessions said.

    The Obama administration announced plans to make the change last May. The government estimates as many as 179,000 spouses could apply for work permits in the first year, and another 55,000 each year after. Applications will be accepted starting May 26.

    The announcement comes as the Obama administration battles with Republicans over plans for more expansive immigration measures that could allow 4 million immigrants in the country illegally to seek work permits and protection from deportation.

    A federal judge temporarily blocked the measures, and the Obama administration has since appealed.

  • DHS funding row over Immigration, edging closer to partial agency shutdown

    DHS funding row over Immigration, edging closer to partial agency shutdown

    Congressional Republicans remained sharply divided Monday over how to fund the Department of Homeland Security, prompting White House officials to begin preparations for a potential shutdown of the agency this weekend.

    “Right now, that does seem to be where we’re headed,” White House press secretary Josh Earnest told reporters Monday.

    Late Monday, Senate Democrats again filibustered a Republican funding proposal for DHS because the money is tied to a repeal of President Obama’s executive actions on immigration. The House passed the bill in mid-January, and the Senate has been trying unsuccessfully since then to advance the proposal. On Monday the vote was 47 to 46, well short of the 60 votes necessary to overcome the Democrats’ procedural roadblock. The Monday vote marked Republicans’ fourth attempt to move the House bill.

    In the event of a shutdown, the immediate public impact is likely to be minimal. Most security officers would stay on the job, unpaid, during a shutdown while tens of thousands of administrative staffers would be deemed “non­essential” and furloughed until a funding deal was reached.

    Many Senate Republicans seized on last week’s ruling from a federal judge in Texas halting the implementation of Obama’s immigration actions as the way to keep up the fight without shutting down a critical security agency.

    “We need to fund the Department of Homeland Security. We cannot shut down the Department of Homeland Security,” Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) said Monday evening. He repeated himself for emphasis: “I said we cannot shut down the Department of Homeland Security.”

  • Indian-American, Purnendu Dasgupta, wins prestigious chemistry award

    Indian-American, Purnendu Dasgupta, wins prestigious chemistry award

    An Indian-American, who developed an environment friendly field analyser for checking toxic arsenic levels in water, has been awarded a prestigious award for his special contribution in the field of chemistry.

    Purnendu Dasgupta, a Jenkins Garrett professor of chemistry at The University of Texas at Arlington, has been awarded the 2015 American Chemical Society Division of Analytical Chemistry J. Calvin Giddings Award.

    The national award recognises a scientist, who has enhanced the professional development of analytical chemistry students, developed and published innovative experiments, designed and improved equipment or teaching labs and published influential textbooks or significant articles on teaching analytical chemistry.

    “I am especially honoured by this award. I have been recognised for some research accomplishments or other in the past but this one recognises for the first time my commitment to and love for teaching and that is why it is so gratifying,” Dasgupta said in a statement.

    “I am a third generation university teacher. So, much of this honour I can credit to my father and grandfather, I am merely carrying on that tradition,” he added.

    As the recipient of the award, Dasgupta will receive a plaque and cash prize. He will also attend the ACS national conference in August in Boston, where he will address and participate in an awards symposium on education in analytical chemistry.

    Dasgupta’s research area includes: methods for environment-friendly analysis of arsenic in drinking water; rapid analysis of trace heavy metals in the atmosphere; iodine nutrition in women and infants and the role of the chemical perchlorate; and the development of a NASA-funded ion chromatograph for testing extraterrestrial soil, such as on a trip to Mars.

    He is the author of more than 400 scientific papers and book chapters and holds 25 US patents. His work has earned more than USD 18 million in research grants.

    UT Arlington President Vistasp M. Karbhari said Dasgupta’s newest honour demonstrates the high quality of university faculty as exceptional models for advanced research and educational excellence.

    “Dasgupta is remarkably accomplished, and his work in analytical chemistry addresses some of the most critical issues in our world,” President Karbhari said.

  • DFW South Asian Film Festival |Feb 27 to Mar 1 | Dallas

    DFW South Asian Film Festival |Feb 27 to Mar 1 | Dallas

    DFW South Asian Film Festival(Dallas, TX – Feb. 18, 2015) Fourteen films, exploring the unique circumstances and complex stories of South Asians living in America, India, Nepal, Australia and Singapore, make their Texas, U.S. and world premieres at the FIRST-EVERDallas/Fort Worth South Asian Film Festival (DFW SAFF) from Friday, February 27 to Sunday, March 1, 2015, at the Angelika Film Center in Plano.

    Produced by JINGO Media, a Dallas and NYC-based PR and events management boutique firm, Etihad Airways & Jet Airways, now offering non-stop flights from DFW to Abu Dhabi, Cambria Hotels & Suites, a brand new hotel property at the Shops at Legacy, and Crow Collection of Asian Art, unveiling its brand new collection of South Asian art, DFW SAFF will bring together directors, actors, producers, community organizations, corporate brands and South Asian cinephiles, over a three-day period. Here are the films that have been consciously-curated for the festival:
     

    Community sponsors & partners of DFW SAFF include: The Container Store, Patrick O’Hara Salon, VelvetCase.com, Living Dreams Foundation, Parish Episcopal School, Milaap, Shraman South Asian Museum and Learning Center Foundation, Forever Rakhi, Indie Meme, Arya Dance Company and New Friends New Life.
     
    Our media partners include: Selig Polyscope Company, Radio Azad, Saavn.com, Radio Hot Pepper, Radio Adda and Desiplaza TV.
     
    “We are so proud and humbled that 30 different community organizations and brands are coming together to support our first-time festival,” said DFW SAFF Festival Director and Principal/CEO of JINGO Media, Jitin Hingorani. “We are certain that North Texas audiences will embrace this festival by giving all our international guests a warm Texas welcome and, hopefully, a few standing ovations.” In addition to film screenings, the festival boasts an opening night red carpet, post-screening Q&As with filmmakers in attendance, after parties and plenty of networking opportunities. For more information and to purchase ticket, please visit www.dfwsaff.com

    Media Contact: Dev Shapiro, Selig Polyscope Company @ 972.965.0899 or Dev@SeligPolyscope.com
     

  • FIRST-EVER DALLAS/FORT WORTH SOUTH ASIAN FILM FESTIVAL

    FIRST-EVER DALLAS/FORT WORTH SOUTH ASIAN FILM FESTIVAL

    DFW South Asian Film Festival(Dallas, TX – Feb. 18, 2015) Fourteen films, exploring the unique circumstances and complex stories of South Asians living in America, India, Nepal, Australia and Singapore, make their Texas, U.S. and world premieres at the FIRST-EVERDallas/Fort Worth South Asian Film Festival (DFW SAFF) from Friday, February 27 to Sunday, March 1, 2015, at the Angelika Film Center in Plano.

    Produced by JINGO Media, a Dallas and NYC-based PR and events management boutique firm, Etihad Airways & Jet Airways, now offering non-stop flights from DFW to Abu Dhabi, Cambria Hotels & Suites, a brand new hotel property at the Shops at Legacy, and Crow Collection of Asian Art, unveiling its brand new collection of South Asian art, DFW SAFF will bring together directors, actors, producers, community organizations, corporate brands and South Asian cinephiles, over a three-day period. Here are the films that have been consciously-curated for the festival:
     

    Community sponsors & partners of DFW SAFF include: The Container Store, Patrick O’Hara Salon, VelvetCase.com, Living Dreams Foundation, Parish Episcopal School, Milaap, Shraman South Asian Museum and Learning Center Foundation, Forever Rakhi, Indie Meme, Arya Dance Company and New Friends New Life.
     
    Our media partners include: Selig Polyscope Company, Radio Azad, Saavn.com, Radio Hot Pepper, Radio Adda and Desiplaza TV.
     
    “We are so proud and humbled that 30 different community organizations and brands are coming together to support our first-time festival,” said DFW SAFF Festival Director and Principal/CEO of JINGO Media, Jitin Hingorani. “We are certain that North Texas audiences will embrace this festival by giving all our international guests a warm Texas welcome and, hopefully, a few standing ovations.” In addition to film screenings, the festival boasts an opening night red carpet, post-screening Q&As with filmmakers in attendance, after parties and plenty of networking opportunities. For more information and to purchase ticket, please visit www.dfwsaff.com

    Media Contact: Dev Shapiro, Selig Polyscope Company @ 972.965.0899 or Dev@SeligPolyscope.com
     

  • Sikh Officers of Harris County allowed to wear their turbans on duty

    Sikh Officers of Harris County allowed to wear their turbans on duty

    HOUSTON, TEXAS (TIP): On February 6, Sheriff Adrian Garcia and members of Texas’s Harris County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) made history as they held a press conference to welcome the agency’s first Sikh American deputy who will serve while wearing Sikh articles of faith, including the turban and beard.

    Sikh Americans, who have been in the United States for over 125 years, wear their articles of faith to signify a commitment to equality, service, and justice. Harris County has made history as the largest Sheriff’s office in the United States to have amongst its employees an observant Sikh American to serve his local community as a full-time deputy with his articles of faith in tact.

    “We commend Sheriff Adrian Garcia and the Harris County Sheriff’s Office for their leadership, and in recognizing that Sikh Americans and residents of Harris County should have the opportunity to serve their community, as we have done throughout our 125 year history in the United States,” said Jasjit Singh, Executive Director, SALDEF (Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund). “With this policy, one of the largest sheriff’s offices in the country has affirmed that a person does not have to choose between their faith and a career of service.”

    Deputy Sandeep Dhaliwal, an observant Sikh American, will for the first time be allowed to wear his Sikh articles of faith, including a dastaar (turban) and beard as part of his HCSO uniform. Dep. Dhaliwal joined the Harris County Sheriff’s Office in January 2009 as a detention officer. He became a patrol deputy in 2012 but per departmental policy at the time, he was not allowed to wear a turban or beard, both articles of faith of the Sikh religion. Due to Sheriff Garcia’s leadership that policy has now changed. In 2014, Sheriff Garcia allowed for exceptions to the HCSO’s uniform policy to allow for accommodation of religious articles under the dress code if it does not interfere with the employee’s duty. Accordingly, Sikh employees and prospective deputies can apply to wear turbans, neatly groomed beards, and other articles of faith.

    “By making these religious accommodations we will ensure that the HCSO reflects the community we serve, one of the most culturally rich and diverse communities in America,” said Sheriff Garcia. “We believe that cross-cultural inclusion and understanding is imperative for law enforcement agencies in any community. HCSO deputies need to not only understand, respect, and communicate with all segments of the population, but represent it as well,” he added.

    “Our turbans and beards represent our belief in equality. They represent a lifetime commitment to selfless service for the welfare of all,” Jasjit Singh declared.

    “Sheriff Garcia’s commitment to inclusion will help ensure that Harris County continues to attract the best and brightest from across our community to serve,” said Bobby Singh, Regional Director, SALDEF (Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund). “Sikh Americans cherish the values that are cultivated through a career in law enforcement, like service and commitment.”

    Starting in December 2008, just one month after being elected sheriff, Sheriff Adrian Garcia met with the Sikh American community at the Sikh Center of Houston in order to ensure that the HCSO will facilitate the safety of all its residents. That meeting was the first of many Sheriff Garcia has held with the Sikh community and other religious and ethnic groups since taking office in 2009. Upon taking office in January 2009, Sheriff Garcia immediately expanded diversity training for all Sheriff’s Office personnel, established regular faith leaders meetings, and created a Citizen Advisory Council to foster and improve communication with the public.

    The HCSO is the largest Sheriff’s Office in the United States to have a full-time Sikh American officer with his articles of faith intact due to a religious accommodation exception to their dress code policy. “We believe that this announcement will inspire other local law enforcement units from around the country to follow in Harris County’s footsteps,” said Jasjit Singh, Executive Director, SALDEF.

    SALDEF’s Law Enforcement Partnership Program provided training materials, curriculum, and instructors to the HCSO during the past six years. LEPP began as the first formalized cultural awareness training program for law enforcement about Sikh Americans in 1999. The curriculum has expanded to reach 100,000 officers and agents throughout the country.

    In May 2012, Washington Metropolitan Police Department, the seventh largest police force in the nation, became the first major police department in the United States to explicitly and voluntarily allow Sikh Americans to serve as full-time, uniformed police officers while keeping their articles of faith. Subsequently, California’s Riverside PD was the first police department in California, and only the second in the nation, to proactively amend their uniform guidance. California’s AB1964 then created statewide religious accommodations in favor of employees and job applications, which allows Sikh Americans to serve in the state with their articles of faith intact.

  • Texas executes ‘Texas 7’ prison escapee for officer’s death

    Texas executes ‘Texas 7’ prison escapee for officer’s death

    HUNTSVILLE, TEXAS (TIP): A three-time convicted robber who helped engineer the biggest prison break in Texas history was executed February 4 evening for killing a suburban Dallas police officer while the notorious gang was on the run.

     

    Donald Newbury, 52, became the third member of the group known as the “Texas 7” executed for the fatal shooting of 29-year-old Aubrey Hawkins, a police officer who interrupted the fugitives’ robbery of a sporting goods store on Christmas Eve in 2000.

     

    The slaying occurred 11 days after the convicts escaped. The gang was captured a month later in Colorado.

     

    Asked to make a final statement, he mumbled: “I would. That each new indignity defeats only the body. Pampering the spirit with obscure merit. I love you all. That’s it.” 

     

    As the lethal dose of pentobarbital took effect, he closed his eyes, then took a deep breath and began snoring. After about a dozen snores, each a bit quieter, he stopped all movement.

     

    He was pronounced dead 11 minutes later, at 6:25pm.

     

    About two dozen police officers stood at attention outside the Huntsville prison. Several supporters of the slain officer were on motorcycles outside, and as Newbury was taking his final breaths, the roar of revving engines could be heard inside the death chamber.

     

    The punishment was carried out after Newbury lost a last-day appeal to the US Supreme Court. His attorneys had argued previous lawyers were deficient and courts did not provide adequate money for a defense expert to illustrate how Newbury’s abusive childhood influenced his violent behavior.

     

    Evidence showed the gang led by George Rivas, who had been sentenced to 17 life prison terms, overpowered workers on December 2000, at the Connally Unit of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, south of San Antonio. They broke into a prison armory, stole weapons and drove off in a prison truck.

     

    Two days later, Rivas and Newbury held up a store, taking electronics including police radio scanners.

     

    “Rivas was the leader and would do the talking and Newbury was one of the guys standing with the gun and threatening everybody,” said Toby Shook, the former Dallas County assistant district attorney who prosecuted both. “Rivas was using him as his muscle.” 

     

    Eleven days after the breakout, Hawkins drove to the sporting goods store to check out a report of suspicious activity. He was shot 11 times, his bullet-ridden body pulled from his squad car and then run over with a stolen SUV. The fugitives fled with $70,000, 44 firearms and ammunition, plus jewelry and wallets from store employees who were closing up for the evening.

     

    The gang was apprehended a month later. One of them, Larry Harper, killed himself rather than surrender. When arrested, Newbury had 12 loaded firearms in the Colorado Springs Holiday Inn room he shared with fellow fugitive Joseph Garcia.

  • Oil crash may kill the Texas housing boom

    Oil crash may kill the Texas housing boom

    DALLAS, TX (TIP): The days of$100 oil are gone — maybe forever –and that means oil companies are cutting jobs — thousands of them.

     

    That’s scary for a Texan real estate industry that had been cruising along in recent years thanks in part to the state’s booming energy business. Credit Suisse believes home construction could tumble 20% in Texas this year.

     

    “Employment growth is one of the most important drivers for housing, with job and income growth driving both local demand and increased population from relocations,” Credit Suisse analyst Michael Dahl wrote in a research report this week.

  • California woman pleads guilty in Texas to passing fake cash

    California woman pleads guilty in Texas to passing fake cash

    SAN ANTONIO (TIP): A California woman has pleaded guilty to making and passing nearly $58,000 in fake cash.

     

    The San Antonio Express-News (http://bit.ly/1y9eIqk ) reported Saturday, January 17 that Tela Lee Conerly faces up to 20 years in federal prison during sentencing this spring.

     

    Conerly pleaded guilty Friday in San Antonio to manufacturing and distributing counterfeit currency. Investigators tracked serial numbers of some of the fake bills passed since 2011 in California, Oregon, Arizona and Texas.

     

    Investigators say Conerly bleached real $1 bills and changed them to fake $100s.

     

    Police in Hondo, 50 miles west of San Antonio, arrested Conerly last March on a tip that she was printing fake money in a hotel room. Officers recovered a computer, a printer, bogus bills and other counterfeiting equipment.

     

    Information from: San Antonio Express-News, http://www.mysanantonio.com.

  • BOOST TO SCHOOL FUNDS IN TEXAS UNLIKELY IN UPCOMING SESSION

    BOOST TO SCHOOL FUNDS IN TEXAS UNLIKELY IN UPCOMING SESSION

    AUSTIN (TIP): It would seem that Texas schools might be due for a sizable funding boost when the Legislature convenes in January, particularly after a state judge ruled last summer that Texas was severely under funding its education system. But local school officials aren’t counting on much relief.

    • The lowest SAT scores in more than two decades.
    • School funding that ranks Texas among the bottom five states.
    • And oversized classes in nearly 1,300 elementary schools last year to save money.

    “If you look at how much we spend per child, it is really sad that Texas is funding public education at a level that is significantly lower than the average for the country,” said David Anthony, former superintendent of the Cypress-Fairbanks school district and chief executive for Raise Your Hand Texas, a public education advocacy group. “Money is not the only answer. It takes more than that to improve schools. But it is certainly a significant part of the solution.”

    And while legislative leaders have voiced willingness to consider some additional money for schools in the next two-year budget, they have also pointed to other state needs – and the desire of many Texans for lower taxes.

    In fact, lawmakers have talked more about cutting taxes – including school property taxes – than providing a funding boost for schools. Lawmakers have already offered several tax reduction bills.

    House Public Education Committee Chairman Jimmie Don Aycock, R-Killeen, said he expects lawmakers to consider some changes in school funding. But he added that major revisions are unlikely while the state appeals the school finance decision to the Texas Supreme Court.

    That order from state District Judge John Dietz found that the Legislature failed to meet its constitutional duty to adequately and fairly fund education for the state’s 5 million public school students. The decision came in a lawsuit filed by more than 600 school districts.

    “We will do small fixes within the present system and possibly put some additional money in,” said Aycock, a former Killeen school board member. “Beyond that, any bigger decisions will wait until we see what the Supreme Court does.”

    Lt. Gov.-elect Dan Patrick, outgoing chairman of the Senate Education Committee, said this fall that he had an open mind on school funding. But he argued that it would be irresponsible to simply pump more money into schools without demanding results.

    “We just can’t give them more money and let them keep doing the same things they’ve been doing,” Patrick said. “We need accountability. We need improvement.”

    Patrick has also taken issue with claims that schools are still reeling from the unprecedented funding cuts of 2011. Those reductions, which prompted school districts to sue the state, were partially restored in 2013

    “Our schools survived, and we did fine,” Patrick said.

    While Republican leaders generally favor a wait-and-see approach depending on what the Supreme Court does, many Democrats contend it would be a mistake to do nothing in the upcoming session.

    “There’s a lack of political will to do anything about our school finance system until we’re forced to do so by the court,” said Senate Democratic leader Kirk Watson of Austin. “Everybody knows our school finance system is broken, and continuing to do nothing about it is a disservice to the schoolchildren and taxpayers of Texas.”

    Watson has filed a package of bills that would boost various funding sources for school districts, such as more help with transportation costs.

    Representatives for school districts note that since the 2010-11 school year, funding per student in Texas has increased about half a percent a year, while school districts continue to enroll more low-income and limited-English students, who are more expensive to educate. They also insist there is now little waste in most districts.

    “Nothing more can be cut from public education,” said Wayne Pierce, former superintendent of the Kaufman school district and current executive director of the Equity Center. The center represents nearly 700 low- and medium-wealth school districts.

    Pierce said any effort to delay changes beyond the 2015-16 school year “will only hurt our schoolchildren.”

    But conservative groups challenge the notion that student achievement will improve with additional funding.

    “The current data does not show that increased resources lead to improvements in student performance,” argued former House Public Education Committee Chairman Kent Grusendorf, now a senior fellow at the Texas Public Policy Foundation.

    In a policy brief for the conservative think tank this fall, the former GOP lawmaker from Arlington said that after decades of investigation, “it is clear that how money is spent is much more important that how much is spent.”

    Grusendorf noted that some prominent studies have found that class size and school funding – “a rallying cry of education reformers for decades” – are not significant indicators of student achievement.

    But in Texas, results on the primary achievement test, the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness, or STAAR, have been stagnant in reading the past few years while school funding levels were down for many districts – and class sizes were up.

    Many high school students have struggled on the five STAAR end-of-course exams. And that’s after lawmakers last year scrapped 10 course-exit tests – arguably the most difficult ones in the group.

    SAT math scores for the Class of 2014 in Texas were the lowest in more than two decades. Reading scores were the second-lowest during that period on the college entrance exam.

    State education officials attributed the drop to an increase in the number of minority students taking the exam. Minorities generally perform worse than white students on standardized achievement tests.

    But in California, students outperformed Texas students by big margins – 15 points in math and 22 points in reading. Student demographics are similar in both states. And California had more low-income students take the SAT than Texas this year.

    One difference, though, was that California spent about $800 more per student than Texas. The Lone Star State was in the bottom five among the 50 states and District of Columbia, according to figures compiled by the National Education Association, a teacher group that closely tracks spending.
    Clay Robison of the Texas State Teachers Association said lawmakers should recognize that inadequate funding is having an impact. For one thing, he said, larger class sizes make teaching more difficult.

    “Texas is enrolling more and more lower-income and limited-English students at the same time many of our elementary classrooms continue to exceed class size limits,” he said. “The problem is that those students need more attention. But that is hard to do when you have larger classes.”

  • Inquiry planned in Dallas tower fire that killed 3 workers

    Inquiry planned in Dallas tower fire that killed 3 workers

    DALLAS (TIP): One of the three men who died last week in a construction fire in downtown Dallas had worked as a welder for only three months and had no training in the field, his family says.

    Concerns about whether lax standards contributed to the fire have prompted two of the workers’ families to launch an independent inquiry into the fatal fire in an underground tank at Thanksgiving Tower, their attorney said Thursday, December 18.

    “It’s been a very difficult time for these families to lose their husbands and fathers in this holiday season,” said lawyer Domingo Garcia, who is representing the relatives of Nicacio Carrillo-Martinez and Oscar Esparza-Romo.

    The family of the third man, Luis Carrillo-Solorzano, hasn’t decided whether to pursue legal action, Garcia said.

    Best Mechanical Inc. had subcontracted the three Texas HVAC employees to clean several water tanks at the 50-story tower. They died of smoke inhalation after they were trapped by fire in one of the 35-foot-deep tanks, which was part of the building’s heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system.

    Questions of liability have arisen since officials said the men and Best Mechanical lacked permits for welding, cutting and hot work. Best Mechanical has said safety equipment and evacuation procedures were in place at the work site.

    Dallas Fire-Rescue and the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration are investigating the fire. But Garcia said his firm also has hired a former OSHA investigator.

    He said an inspection is scheduled next week that will lay the foundation for a private inquiry, which will include interviews with witnesses.

    A family spokesman said Esparza-Romo, who worked for Texas HVAC for about two years, had 10 years of welding experience but had not been formally trained.

    Carrillo-Martinez, 60, moved to North Texas three months ago. He had recently been introduced to welding when his nephew, Luis Carrillo-Solorzano, helped him get a job at Texas HVAC.

    At a news conference Thursday, the workers’ relatives expressed their grief and discussed their decision to seek legal representation.

    “We’re here because we want justice. As you can see, it’s caused a lot of pain and suffering to my family,” said Jose Velasquez, a spokesman for Esparza-Romo’s family. “More than anything, we want to prevent this stuff from happening to other families.”

  • Texas is in danger of a recession

    Texas is in danger of a recession

    DALLAS (TIP): The shale oil boom has been a blessing to Texas, making the state an economic standout during the past few years of ho-hum U.S. growth. But oil’s dramatic plunge below $55 a barrel is scaring the shale industry. Since some wells are unprofitable at lower prices, shale companies will be forced to dial back capital spending and cut jobs.

    While cheap gas is likely to be a net positive for the U.S., Texas is poised to take a hit because of the pivotal role that oil plays in the state’s economy.

    “We think Texas will, at least, have a rough 2015 ahead, and is at risk of slipping into a regional recession,” Michael Feroli, JPMorgan Chase chief U.S. economist, predicted Thursday, December 18.

    Texas has become a dominant oil producer, boosting its share of U.S. crude production from 25% to more than 40% over the past five years.
    That heavy exposure to crude should go from a big positive to a big negative. Crude oil traded above $100 in June. Now the price is about half that at $54.

    1986 all over again? The current situation has echoes of 1986, when oil prices collapsed and caused a painful recession in Texas but the rest of the country kept humming along.

    “The labor market response was severe and swift,” said Feroli, pointing to a two-percentage point jump in the state’s unemployment rate from January to March of 1986 alone.

    Of course, it’s not entirely the same. As Feroli concedes, natural gas prices aren’t collapsing now like they did in 1986, exacerbating the industry’s problems.Also, the oil industry has undergone dramatic technological changes that have make extraction profitable at lower and lower prices.Real-estate, banking fallout: Still, JPMorgan believes Texas will bear the brunt of the pain caused by the oil meltdown, along with North Dakota, America’s second-largest crude producer. “There are some reasons to think that it may not be as bad this time around, but there are even better reasons not to be complacent about the risk of a regional recession in Texas,” Feroli wrote.

    The fallout of a recession in Texas could throw cold water on the state’s hot real estate market and cause pain for regional banks.

    Home prices shrank 14% from their peak during the 1986 recession and hundreds of banks were forced to shut down, JPMorgan said.

  • Texas Capital Bank Ranks 11th in Dallas Morning News Top 100 Places to Work

    Texas Capital Bank Ranks 11th in Dallas Morning News Top 100 Places to Work

    DALLAS (TIP): Texas Capital Bank has announced that it ranked eleventh in the large company category on The Dallas Morning News’ 2014 Top 100 Places to Work in Dallas-Fort Worth list. The bank was also recognized in 2013.

    The Dallas Morning News Top 100 surveyed employees from 315 companies and as in past years, the ranking was based on scores across a combination of seven areas, which included connection and direction of company, pay and benefits, confidence in leadership and work-life balance.

    “Texas Capital Bank is one of the most successful banks in the country because the best people in the industry have chosen to help us build this company and I am humbled that they think we are one of the best places to work,” said CEO Keith Cargill.

    ABOUT TEXAS CAPITAL BANK

    Texas Capital Bank is a commercial bank that delivers highly personalized financial services to businesses and entrepreneurs. We are headquartered in Texas working with clients throughout the state and across the country. Texas Capital Bank is a wholly owned subsidiary of Texas Capital Bancshares, Inc. (TCBI) and is recognized as a Forbes Best Banks in America and the Dallas Morning News’ Top 100 Places To Work company. To find out why we’re the Best Business Bank in Texas(R), please visit
    www.texascapitalbank.com.

  • The University of Texas at Austin Introduces Online Business Courses for Professionals Worldwide

    The University of Texas at Austin Introduces Online Business Courses for Professionals Worldwide

    New Learning Platform Delivers Practical Business Knowledge Taught by Top-Ranking Teachers

    AUSTIN, TX (TIP): McCombs School of Business at The University of Texas at Austin, one of the top ten undergraduate business programs in the nation according to U.S. News and World Report, has opened virtual doors to the Texas Business Foundations Program (BFP) Online providing working professionals everywhere with greater access to a world-class business education. Texas BFP Online has taken a decades-long successful on-campus program and transformed it into a digital classroom that rethinks how students learn.

    This online educational experience delivers comprehensive business essentials, an accelerated pace of courses, and an immersive and interactive curriculum. The program fills the business fundamentals gap between having a non-business degree and advanced programs like an MBA. “Texas Business Foundations Program Online gives students a true McCombs educational experience,” says Dean Tom Gilligan. “Each course features one or more of our most effective faculty members, the same professors who teach our full-time business students.

    We’re confident Texas BFP Online students will gain business knowledge and skills that will find direct application in their own career.” Open to prospective students and professionals anywhere in the world, Texas BFP Online features the latest learning sciences such as interactive learning modules, animated storytelling and gamification. Courses are available on-the-go, pairing essential curriculum with exclusive, one-of-a-kind digital teaching tools, including: engaging video lectures, immersive learning modules, interactive, real-world simulations and self-paced courses. Corporate guests and case study scenarios from leading global brands, such as Starbucks, Apple and Southwest Airlines provide students with real-world examples.

    The curriculum includes six fundamental business courses, including:

    Foundations of Accounting: practical application of financial and managerial accounting to excel at better business planning and decision-making with applied knowledge of accrual accounting, financial statements, funding and other managerial accounting fundamentals.

    Foundations of Finance: application of finance for business management with topics including assets, capital, markets, risk, economics and finance fundamentals to better establish policy, project wealth and cash flow.

    Introduction to Information Technology Management: study of real-life case studies and simulated workplace scenarios to build knowledge of the importance of IT in modern business including expectations of IT professional skills and how IT can affect business strategy and ROI.

    Foundations of Legal Environment for Business: examination of common legal issues that impact business to help illustrate organizational problems, legal procedures, doctrines and ethics.

    Foundations of Marketing: exploration of the role, influence and impact of marketing to equip professionals with the skills to analyze, strategize, execute and sell a business.

    Foundations of Organizational Behavior and Administration: analysis of current developments in leadership, management and team building through real-life case studies and the application of motivation, power, influence and change to manage team effectiveness.

    Starting today professionals may enroll in three-credit courses for $600 each or prepurchase all six courses for a 10 percent discount. Students will earn the Texas BFP Online Certificate from the McCombs School of Business upon completion of all six courses. Each course is designed to be completed at the student’s convenience and is written and taught by the same awardwinning faculty who teach on-campus classes but are designed to be accessible 24-hours a day and at a pace that complements individual schedules. Select classes will start January 2015. For more information on the Texas Business Foundations Program Online offered through McCombs School of Business at The University of Texas at Austin, please visit onlinebusiness.mccombs.utexas.edu. The McCombs School of Business YouTube channel features an introductory video to Texas BFP Online as well as video introductions to each course.

    Contact:

    Zeno Group for Wiley Global Education Solutions and The University of Texas at Austin Melissa Hariri, 310-566-3993 melissa.hariri@zenogroup.com

  • Americans Together organizes Thanksgiving Celebrations and Awards Night

    Americans Together organizes Thanksgiving Celebrations and Awards Night

    Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson graces the occasion

    Report/photos by Zia Khan/ 214-207-7922 DALLAS (TIP): Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas presided over the proceedings of the 16th annual thanksgiving celebrations and awards night organized by Americans Together on Saturday, November 22, 2014. It was a bridge building event between communities. We ought to be thankful to Native Americans, who did not put the electric fence around Americas to keep the illegal aliens like Columbus and other Europeans from entering America without a visa.


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    Mike Ghouse, President of Americans Together and the chief architect of the Thanksgiving celebrations underscored the importance of sharing, caring and thanksgiving.


    Today, we are a nation of immigrants, other than the natives; almost all of us are immigrants from one to several generations. The event was organized by America Together Foundation, World Muslim Congress. And the Foundation for Pluralism, all committed to building a cohesive America where no American has to live in tension, discomfort, apprehension or fear of the other. The purpose of celebrating this event was to thank God for guiding us to learn to respect the otherness of others, and accept the God given uniqueness of each one of us. And more importantly it is to familiarize the new immigrants with the festivities.


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    The honorees with Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson and Mike Ghouse


    You’ll be surprised to find that many of them have not even seen the thanksgiving meal and its fixings. It was not a part of their study for citizenship and apparently no one has done this as a public event. “Congresswoman Johnson represents the aspiration of fellow Americans; justice and liberty for every American in his or her pursuit of happiness, and she fights for that relentlessly – Is that the kind of congressperson we want?, well here she is.” Mike Ghouse welcomed her amidst a thunderous applause.


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    A view of the gathering


    To paraphrase Congresswoman Johnson, “we have made sacrifices to respect the human rights, civil liberties and freedom for our new generations and now they have those rights. On the map of the world, ours is still the best country. The immigrant community has always played an important role in the development of US.” It was a delight to watch the Congresswoman carve the symbolic turkey, and sharing what thanksgiving means to her; to count your blessings.

    For many a immigrants it is an introduction to the American way of life and who else can do a better job than the Congresswoman? Through her efforts and against all impediments, she has realized her American dream. Chef Ali of Spicy Cuisine in Irving prepared delicious vegetarian and non-veg meals with a fixing of thanksgiving delicacies. Congresswoman Johnson presented the awards to four community leaders and delivered a beautiful keynote address on gratitude,while highlighting the need for events like this to bring people together regardless of their political, religious, racial or and social affiliation to build a safe, secure and a cohesive America.

    Mike Ghouse, president of the foundation shared the real life stories that exemplify thanksgiving; stories about Appaiah and the hospitality in Saudi Arabia. How each one of us can restore the spiritual balance within and live a productive, meaningful and a purposeful life. The Appaiah story was published in Huffington Post Link , and the Saudi story, all pictures, and notes will be at www.ThanksgivingCelebrations.org The attendees were represented by people of different faiths, races, political orientations and other uniqueness’s. They cheered on when Mike Ghouse, chair of the event asked.

    Whether you are Jewish, Hindu, Muslim, Gay, Lesbian, Black, White, Native, Immigrant, Republican or Democrat, how many of you like to see your Congress person represent you with equal care and consideration? How many of you would like to see your congress person treat you with dignity and respect regardless of who you are? Well here she is, Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson.” She delivered a beautiful key note speech about Gratitude. The following individuals were recognized for their outstanding contributions to building bridges in the communities we live – the title conferred upon all of them was “Pluralist” – meaning someone who respects the otherness of others. Every society has heroes – that is men and women who have gone beyond their normal self to serve the communities at large, and it is our responsibility as a society to acknowledge, cherish and honor them.

    Here is a brief introduction of the recipients; detail profiles will be available at www.thanksgivingcelebrations.org. Raja Zahid A. Khanzada –

    a Journalist for his “Commitment to truth in Journalism.” He reports for the top news media conglomerates in Pakistan and has been a catalyst in a process of “forgiveness” of the robbers – where they surrendered their guns in return for acceptance in the society to live and breathe a normal life, and be the contributors of the nation. It is sort of what President Obama is doing with the undocumented aliens, a noble thing to do. Raja is a relentless pursuer of education with three Master’s degrees and a degree in Homeopathic medical sciences and holds certification from American Alternative Medicine Practitioner Board in practice of alternative medicine. He amazed everyone when he asked his mother to receive the plaque.

    Amina Rab –

    a community activist and leader for “Building Bridges.” Amina is deeply committed to building bridges between the Muslim community and other communities. It is not her job, but a passion to build bridges. She is the President of the Council on American Islamic Relations- DFW chapter and is the first woman to serve on the North Texas Islamic Council, and is a founding Board member of Texas Muslim Women’s Foundation. She is a Scientist in the healthcare industry for 20 years. Amina is an entrepreneur with a home based business, a mother, a grandmother and a community Activist with a passion to promote peace and justice in the world.

    Anne Marie Weiss –

    a community leader for “Bringing the DFW communities together.” Anne Marie single handedly started the DFW international in early nineties – she had the vision for making the Dallas/ Fort worth an international Metroplex, even before it was declared as such. Today, DFW International has become an exemplary institution in America. There is nothing like it. Where can you find connections to every cultural, religious, social and ethnic group in one place? None in America! She has put Dallas Fort Worth on the world Map. If you see the demographic statistics of nationalities and ethnicities in Dallas, it was her effort. It is her selfless devotion to the belief that DFW should genuinely reflect its diversity.

    Sante Santhanam Chary –

    is a national figure in “Connecting the World Leaders.” Sante is one of the very few Americans, perhaps the only immigrant who has met, shook hands and shared a message with 7 American Presidents and 8 Indian Presidents/Prime Ministers. Sante is continuously forging political and business ties between the United States and India and in September this year, he got the US Senate to pass a resolution creating “2014 U.S.-India Partnership Day” to honor Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the US. He has set a new world record by collecting over 55 contemporary signatures in solidarity on a USPS issued First Day Envelope with Mahatma Gandhi’s stamp on it. Sante is a healthcare entrepreneur with a focus on physician staffing services to small towns in the US. He is a graduate of The Harvard Business School and the Thomas Jefferson School of Law.

  • Oil down after Saudi Arabia slashes crude price

    Oil down after Saudi Arabia slashes crude price

    SINGAPORE (TIP): Oil fell in Asia today after major producer Saudi Arabia slashed the price of the crude that it sells to Asia and the United States, analysts said. US benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) for January delivery tumbled 31 cents to $66.50 a barrel in late-morning trade and Brent crude for January dropped 38 cents to $69.26. “Saudi Arabia has just cut the price of the oil it sells to Asia and the US and this is going to have a big effect on the market today and early next week,” said Daniel Ang, an investment analyst at Phillip Futures in Singapore.

    Saudi Aramco, the kingdom’s stateowned oil company, said it had slashed its official selling price for Arab light grade oil bound for Asia in January by $1.90 a barrel from December’s level. It also reduced the price of Arab light grade oil bound for the US by 70 cents. “They’re definitely fighting for market share,” Ang said. Saudi Arabia is the biggest and most influential member of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), which late last month decided to maintain output levels despite a global oversupply. OPEC’s decision at its November 27 meeting in Vienna sent oil prices tumbling to their lowest point in five years.

    Singapore’s United Overseas Bank said Saudi Arabia’s move was “reinforcing concerns that the world’s leading exporter is now more focused on defending its market share than increasing price”. “Saudi reportedly believes oil prices could stabilise at $60 a barrel and there is also rife speculation that Saudi is also trying to drive high-price producers out of the market,” it said in a market commentary. But French bank Credit Agricole said lower prices should give emerging markets a boost. “Oil-intensive economies, including the bulk of Asia, would benefit from lower inflation, larger monetary leeway to support the recovery, and lower corporate and household costs,” it said. “Against such a backdrop this could support a scenario of a slight recovery in emerging market GDP growth in 2015.”

  • US police kill gunman who targeted buildings in Austin

    US police kill gunman who targeted buildings in Austin

    AUSTIN, TEXAS (TIP): Authorities shot and killed a man who they say opened fire on Austin police headquarters early November 28 morning, and a bomb squad was called in to search his vehicle. The man also targeted a US courthouse and the Mexican Consulate, Assistant Poice Chief Raul Munguia said at a news conference. Officers were searching the suspect’s Austin-area residents for possible explosives. Police did not immediately confirm whether the man, whose name was not immediately released, had explosives.

    The gunfire was reported at 2:22 am on Friday, Munguia said, and some bullets hit police headquarters. Munguia did not immediately say whether the consulate and the courthouse were damaged. Both were closed at the time of the gunfire. “An officer outside the building saw the suspect, fired at the suspect, the suspect went down,” Munguia said. Officers then saw what appeared to be an improvised explosive device in his vehicle, and that “the suspect was wearing some type of vest,” Munguia said. He did not provide additional details on the garment. Police are trying to determine a motive for the gunfire, which shut down a stretch of Interstate 35 for hours but had reopened Friday morning.

  • Nationwide protests follow Grand Jury verdict in Michael Brown killing case

    Nationwide protests follow Grand Jury verdict in Michael Brown killing case

    I.S. Saluja

    NEW YORK (TIP): New York has been among the large number of cities across the United States of America to witness loud protests following the Grand Jury verdict to not indict police officer Darren Wilson who had shot and killed the 18 year old Michael Brown in Ferguson, a suburb of St. Louis County, Missouri on August 9, 2014. Since November 24 when the Grand Jury verdict was announced by Prosecutor McCulloch in a 20-minute press conference in Ferguson at least 400 protesters have been arrested across the US, as they rallied against the grand jury decision on the shooting of Mike Brown in Ferguson, and police violence in general.


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    Thousands of protesters marched through the streets of New York City for the second night on Tuesday 25th November, 2014, chanting loudly and blocking traffic on some of Manhattan’s busiest streets to express outrage over the decision not to indict a white police officer in Ferguson, Mo., in the death of an unarmed black man. The protesters marched on Franklin D. Roosevelt Drive, through Times Square and across the Manhattan Bridge, disrupting traffic along those routes and at the Lincoln Tunnel, and Union Square. The protesters, a diverse and relatively young crowd, held signs saying, “Hands up, don’t shoot,” and “Black Lives Matter.” Around 9 p.m. they began to enter the roadway on the Manhattan Bridge, chanting, “Whose bridge? Our bridge,” and then crossed into Brooklyn.

    Some 200 activists were detained in Los Angeles. At 7:30 pm local time on Wednesday, November 26. Police told the demonstrators to leave within four minutes. Those who stayed were taken to police stations, with a possible bail of $500. If the bail isn’t paid, the detainees are to stay in prison until at least December 1. “We won’t stand aside. The LAPD’s temper is known to the whole world. There’s no need to think of the film plots! We should protect ourselves, our patience has run out, we’ll be seeking the re-examination of the Wilson case,” a protester called Angelo told a news agency.


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    In Oakland, California, hundreds of protesters marched through the city, spraying walls, billboards and bus stops with graffiti and smashing storefront windows. It all led to clashes with police in a public plaza adjacent to City Hall. San Diego saw a peaceful march, with around 300 people chanting “Ferguson, we’ve got your back!” In Dallas, Texas, three members of a group called ‘Come and Take It’ marched alongside demonstrators, saying they were prepared to step in and protect private property if things turned ugly.


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    Things have also been largely peaceful in Ferguson, Missouri. Amid the snowy weather, several dozen protesters remained near the police station. On Monday, protests turned violent, with looting, gunfire, and clashes leading to over 60 arrests. Forty-five more people were detained on Tuesday. Over 2,000 National Guard forces were sent to step up security in Ferguson over the past few days. The protests kicked off after Darren Wilson, a white police officer who shot dead unarmed African-American teenager Michael Brown back in August, was not indicted by a grand jury on Monday.

    The governor of Missouri has reportedly rejected calls for a new grand jury to reexamine the case. In a statement on Wednesday, November 26 Wilson said that he had a “clean conscience” over the killing. Brown’s family said that they were “crushed” by the grand jury’s decision, and that their son was “crucified” by the prosecutors, but called on the rallies to remain peaceful.

  • North Texas teachers, children killed on road trip

    North Texas teachers, children killed on road trip

    DALLAS (TIP): Two North Texas teachers and several of their children were killed overnight while driving through Louisiana for a Disney vacation. Trudi and Michael Hardman died in the single-vehicle crash on Interstate 20 just west of Calhoun, La. Trudi was a kindergarten teacher at Wills Point Primary School, and Michael taught second grade at JFK Elementary in Terrell. The couple’s 4-year-old daughter, Casey, Michael’s 7-year-old son, Andrew, and Trudi’s 15-year-old, Dakota, were also killed.

    Trudi’s son, Hunter, and Michael’s son, Adam, survived and have been released from the hospital. Louisiana State Police said that the horrific crash happened around midnight. The16-year-old driving the family, Aaron Hardman, likely fell asleep at the wheel and left the road. He overcorrected and the family’s Chevy Tahoe began rolling, police said. Aaron remains hospitalized in intensive care in Shreveport. Police said six of the eight people in the SUV were not wearing a seatbelt and were ejected. “Our heartfelt condolences go out to all of the people affected by this tragic crash,” said Colonel Mike Edmonson with Louisiana State Police. “Crashes like this one don’t just affect the people involved.

    They affect family members, friends, troopers, first responders and the community at large. In an instance this family vacation turned into an unspeakable tragedy. I cannot stress enough the importance of wearing a seatbelt anytime you are in a vehicle.” The family was reportedly on their way to Walt Disney World in Orlando. “These kids and parents were active in the school and in the Wills Point Baseball Association. This was a wonderful family and was loved by all the kids that these wonderful teachers touched,” The Van Zandt Co Fire Marshal’s Office posted on Facebook.

    Terrell ISD’s superintendent described Michael Hardman as a dedicated teacher. “Our thoughts and prayers are with his family members, colleagues, students and friends.We must lift each other up during this difficult time,” said Superintendent Michael French. Wills Point ISD said the impact of the tragedy is far reaching and affects each campus in the district. “Words cannot express the sadness in our hearts today,” said Superintendent Suzanne Blasengame. At least 250 people, including neighbors, friends and colleagues paid tribute to the Hardman family at a candlelight vigil Thursday, November 20 night at the Wills Point baseball fields. The family spent much of their free team on the fields because Michael coached youth league baseball.

  • AUDIT CRITICIZES TEXAS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM RUN BY SCHOOL DISTRICTS

    AUDIT CRITICIZES TEXAS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM RUN BY SCHOOL DISTRICTS

    AUSTIN (TIP): Texas school districts are giving away more than $200 million a year in property tax breaks without making sure companies actually create the high-paying jobs promised, the state auditor says. State Auditor John Keel based his criticisms on examination of four school districts’ practices that found inconsistent reporting of information on amounts invested and jobs spun off. “The school districts relied primarily on information that the businesses certified to be true and correct,” said Keel, who recommended the Legislature require independent verification.

    He also urged lawmakers to impose tighter ethics policies on school board members and school district employees who handle applications for tax breaks. Last year, as big corporations such as chipmaker Samsung threatened not to expand their Texas operations unless the incentive program was extended, lawmakers renewed it for another 10 years. From 2001 to 2012, school districts agreed to dole out $2.4 billion in reduced appraisals and tax credits, according to state Comptroller Susan Combs. Under the program, known as “Chapter 313,” recipients must be manufacturing plants, energy generators and research-anddevelopment installations.

    Districts can reduce a company’s property valuations up to 90 percent for 10 years. They also get credits to offset higher school taxes they pay during construction in the first two years. The Texas Education Agency offsets districts’ losses by ramping up their school aid. One of the program’s goals is to attract businesses that might locate in other states, though critics have questioned how that could be true for some of the selected beneficiaries, such as nuclear power plants, wind farms and natural gas processors.

    Business groups have defended the program. Dale Craymer, who heads the Texas Taxpayers and Research Association, has said Texas has very high property taxes on industrial concerns and can’t compete for large relocations or expansions without incentives. “The school property tax is the 800-pound gorilla,” he told the Austin American- Statesman on the eve of last year’s legislative session. Keel was required to audit the program as part of the law extending it through 2024.

    He looked at a Hewlett-Packard research facility in Austin, two wind farms in the West Texas town of Sterling City, a natural gas processing plant in Fort Stockton and two nuclear power generating units in Matagorda County that its owner, NRG, canceled in April 2011. The school districts in those communities passively accepted companies’ investment and job numbers before handing the information to two state agencies that help the districts obtain full reimbursement, the audit said. Nor did the comptroller’s office provide any background materials to support its findings that without the tax breaks, the companies wouldn’t have come to the four communities, the audit said.

    Dick Lavine, a longtime critic of the program, said the audit confirms the program is too loose about making sure as many jobs as possible are created. “The reason it’s important to verify the numbers is to see if the state’s getting its money’s worth,” said Lavine, a former House tax-research analyst who is a fiscal expert at the center-left think tank the Center for Public Policy Priorities. Chapter 313 costs the state far more than its other business incentive programs, such as the Texas Enterprise Fund and Emerging Technology Fund, though they have drawn more attention, Lavine said.

  • Quran is not for Muslims alone

    Quran is not for Muslims alone

    The very first verse in Quran reads, “1:2 (Asad) All praise is due to God alone, the Sustainer of all the worlds (that exist),” and the very last chapter opens with this line, “114:1 (Ali) Say: I seek refuge with the Lord and Cherisher of Mankind,” and there is a whole lot in between. God chose to address the entire mankind, and rightfully so. Quran is for the whole humanity and not just Muslims exclusively. Hold your breath, I cannot pack the next 1200 words in one single sentence, or utter it in one single breath, but I promise you a better understanding by the end of this essay. First of all, God is not the God of Muslims and no where he claims that in Quran.

    He is creator of the universe(s), which is within and beyond our imagination. Quran is a book of guidance to preserve the cohesiveness within and what surrounds us; people and the environment. Darwin is right about survival of the fittest. Nothing in the universe will survive if it goes off balance and is not intact. Thank God everything is created in balance and harmony (55: 7-13) with billions of other elements interconnected and interdependent on each other to function cohesively. In fact, the entire creation can be broadly classified into Matter and Life.

    Planets, stars, seasons and plants are programmed to function obediently (55:5-6) with precision, whereas humans were not put on an autopilot, they were instead given a free will to manage and maintain their own balance, and of course there was the guidance for everyone. God’s says (49:13) that he has created us into many tribes, communities, nations and by extension faiths, ideas, shapes, and colors — and all of us can trace back our origins to a singular couple referred to as Adam & Eve. Given that diversity, we are bound to have conflicts and compete for the resources.

    So, he adds, the best ones among you are those who will take the time to know each other, he knows that knowledge leads to understanding and understanding to acceptance and appreciation of different points of view. God does not miss a beat in communicating with his creation, and tells us not to compel others to be like you (2:256) let it come from their hearts for common goodness, and let others be others and you be you (109:6). Indeed, when you respect the otherness of others, and accept the God given uniqueness of each one of us, then conflicts fade and solutions emerge to live in harmony.

    By the way, this is my definition of Pluralism. Had he willed, he could have made us all into a single community or created all of us precisely alike (5:48), but he chose to create each one of us to be unique with our own thumb print, eye print, DNA, taste buds, belief buds, races, nations and ethnicities. God loves us all, and n0 one is deprived of his love; he has reached out to every human through a peace maker, messenger, prophet, reformer, a wise man or simply a good friend that brings sense to living. The creator offers a variety of guidance to the mankind, no matter where you live, the guidance is there, the guidance that leads to live in peace, and without fear of the other.

    He says I have sent a peacemaker to every nation and every tribe. What does God want? Like a mother who wants her children to live well; a teacher who wants his students to do well; and the chef who wants his patrons to enjoy his food…. God wants every one of his creation to live in harmony. He emphasizes the idea repeatedly (over 18 times) — if you take care of his creation (neighbor), you need not worry; your rewards are with him. Just to make sure we understand this precisely, he says, whether you are a Jew or a Christian and by corollary other, if you take care of your neighbor, I will take care of you (2:62). Mind you, he is very clear, he has never said, “Muslim Neighbor,” but just neighbor to be inclusive of all humanity.

    The concepts of universalism are loaded in the phrases like God of the Universe, “Rabbul Aalameen” and Mercy to Mankind “Rahmatul Aalameen “as Prophet Muhammad is called. Indeed, the word Aalameen is the mother of the word inclusion, aka Pluralism. We have reduced Islam from a system to create harmony and peace in the world to an exclusive political entity, copyrighted and owned by the group. Please beware of the mistranslation and misinterpretations. Deeper study will lead any one to realize the Quran had been purposely mistranslated down through history.

    In the middle Ages, European leaders commissioned a hostile Quran translation to foster warfare against Muslim invaders (Monastery of Abbot 1143 CE). Later, Muslim leaders (Hilali Khan 1924 CE) produced another translation to inflame Muslims against Christians and Jews. It was all for politics. Thank God for the efforts of countless people, most of the mis-translations have been fixed since 2012, and I have contributed my personal share of work towards that effort and I will be happy to do a full presentation on it if needed anywhere in the world, one of them was done in Melbourne, Australia in 2009 at the Parliament of World Religions. Dr. Tariq Ramadan and I also presented the same topic again in tandem. Don’t panic, everything has checks and balances, as a seeker of the truth, you will look at least three different translations to grasp the inclusiveness of Quran.

    HERE IS THE FORMULA

    It may be worth your while to see the list of the mistranslated verses and how the fear mongers in the market have capitalized on those. The best way to understand Quran is to remember, “If it is not about justice, mercy and creating harmony”, then the translation is wrong. Go back and read it several times, three verse before the ‘wrongfully maligned’ verse and three afterwards, and read at least three to four translations. Quran in Arabic is precisely same and well preserved, but its translation and interpretations are not.

    The treatment of verses is at www.Quraantoday.com and the full story of Quran conference is at www.Quraanconference.com I recommend the translations by Muhammad Asad, Abdullah Yusuf Ali and Marmaduke Pickthall, they are not perfect but by far the best. Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar has fixed a few misogynistic translations in her work that were not handled earlier. More work needs to be done and God willing it will continue. I want to acknowledge the contributions made by Mr. Farooq Khan and Dr. Rehana Kausar of Texas, who convinced the Muslim establishments to accept and promote Muhammad Asad’s translation and have distributed many on their own.

    Once they bought the entire stock of books and freely distributed to right people. Farooq Khan adds, “Only through these translations Muslim and Non-Muslims, both, can have a true glimpse of what the Holy Quran says.” Here is a 17 minutes video about Abdullah Yusuf Ali shared by them, it is inspirational and worth watching. You may find a similar spark in you and I did. Here is the video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05CDGL qrWHM Thanks to CAIR for providing me some of the copies of Asad translations which I have personally given to pastors, Rabbis, Sikh and Hindu educators and even some Imams.

    A copy was also presented to my friend Sean Hannity – a great American (unless you know about him, you may not believe until you hear from me), Pamela Geller and others with a similar but one paragraph note as above. Yes, I have copies of Bible, Torah, Bhagvad Gita, Book of Mormon, and Book of Jaina, Guru Granth sahib, Kitab Aqdas, Rev. Moon’s World Scriptures and 12 Quran translations.Thanks to friends and Muslims from around the world for the encouragement they have given me in moving forward with presenting Quran as a document of pluralism. It is a manual to create cohesive societies and it is for all, don’t let Muslims monopolize it. To be a Muslim is to be a peace maker, one who seeks to mitigate conflicts and nurtures goodwill for peaceful co-existence of humanity.

    Mike GhouseMike Ghouse : The author is a community consultant, social scientist, thinker, writer, news maker, and a speaker on Pluralism, Interfaith, Islam, politics, terrorism, human rights, India, Israel-Palestine and foreign policy.

    Mike Ghouse is a Muslim Speaker and head the think tank www.WorldMuslimCongress.com Follow Mike Ghouse on Twitter: www.twitter.com/MikeGhouse

  • North Texas transportation planners shift away from toll projects

    North Texas transportation planners shift away from toll projects

    DALLAS (TIP): The Regional Transportation Council on Thursday, November 13, excluded a controversial rural toll road from its long-range plan and dropped efforts to involve the state Transportation Department in financing the divisive Trinity Parkway toll project. Those votes highlight a shift away from the planning entity’s years-long practice of using tolls to finance road construction as state lawmakers repeatedly failed to solve transportation funding shortfalls. The moves also come amid mounting public opposition to toll roads in North Texas, where virtually every major highway project under construction includes tolling.

    The region will soon be home to the nation’s largest network of managed toll lanes, which are being added to existing highways to help add capacity and finance renovations or expansions. “It’s been by force of nature, really, from Austin,” said RTC vice chairman Mark Riley, who also is Parker County judge. “We’ve been given a task but no funds.” Texas voters last week agreed by a nearly 4- 1 ratio to give TxDOT about $1.7 billion a year in additional funding, with the caveat that the new money could not be used on toll projects.

    That still leaves TxDOT with an estimated $3.3 billion shortfall that the agency says it needs to maintain existing roads and build more to keep up with expected population growth. RTC member Jungus Jordan called the election results a mandate. “If the Legislature didn’t get a message out of that, I don’t know what it will take,” he said. Lawmakers have already begun filing bills aimed at further shoring up TxDOT’s funding gap during the legislative session that begins in January. House Speaker Joe Straus, R-San Antonio, said he expects transportation funding to be a top issue in the upcoming session.

    Northeast Gateway

    The North Central Texas Council of Government’s transportation department, which executes the RTC’s policies, originally recommended putting the divisive Northeast Gateway toll road into a long-range transportation plan. NCTCOG staffers rescinded that recommendation amid massive opposition to the project and criticism over how the agency managed public information about it. The road was planned to run from Garland to Greenville. Residents criticized NCTCOG for basing its support for the road on traffic estimates that far outpaced population growth projections. The project remains an “area of study” in the plan, but the chairman of the private company developing it said he’s not likely to move forward. Texas Turnpike Corp.

    chairman John Crew said he’s already spent $5 million developing the project. He said he has other deals to try to move forward with. “Until you can get the leadership to say we really do need this, it’s not worth using my capital to fight the politics,” he said in an interview last month. The portion of the project that remains a subject to be studied does not include a potential leg that could have run from Garland into Dallas. That phase of the project was identified as a potential extension in an oversight agreement between Texas Turnpike and TxDOT. A Texas Turnpike spokeswoman said that extension was added to the agreement at the behest of NCTCOG officials. NCTCOG spokeswoman Amanda Wilson said the extension would have replaced State Highway 78 through Garland and would not have been tolled. “So, the [agreement] shows it as an extension of the toll road, but if this project would have moved forward, the concept would have been a nontolled arterial to facilitate moving traffic off the toll road in the direction of LBJ,” she said.

    Too cozy?

    Northeast opponents also accused NCTCOG officials of working too closely with the private company and sometimes on its behalf. Many of those complaints centered on emails between NCTCOG senior program manager Tom Shelton and Texas Turnpike executives. NCTCOG transportation director Michael Morris announced Thursday that Shelton is leaving the agency to take a job in the private sector. Morris defended the agency’s traffic estimates and dealings with Texas Turnpike during the Northeast Gateway development. He said Shelton’s departure was unrelated to the project. “Tom did exactly what I asked him to do,” Morris said.RTC members and NCTCOG staffers praised Shelton’s work for the agency and applauded his tenure.

    Trinity Parkway

    NCTCOG staffers had also recommended lobbying state lawmakers to give TxDOT the authority to find a private developer to help finance the Trinity Parkway tollway. They backed away from that proposal after Texas Transportation Commission member Victor Vandergriff said he didn’t want the agency involved in the controversial project. Dallas and North Texas Tollway Authority have an agreement to build that road, which would mostly run inside the Trinity River’s levees.

    But more than $1 billion in funding needed for the $1.5 billion project has yet to be identified. Traffic estimates used to justify that road have also been criticized. But many Trinity opponents also say that the project will further subsidize suburban sprawl to the detriment of Dallas’ downtown core. And they say it is incompatible with planned lakes, parks and recreational areas the city plans to put along the road and the Trinity River. Nonprofit Trinity Commons Foundation is raising money for a design summit aimed at alleviating those concerns. The group wants to have urban planners make tweaks and additions to plans so the road has more landscaping and inviting features.

    Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings, a toll road supporter, said Thursday that he will present ideas about better designing the road at a breakfast next week. “This project is critical to the future of our city, and how the design is finalized is one of the most important things we can do,” he said. “I believe this project should be studied and reviewed by recognized experts using the best urban design principles that exist as we move to our next phase.”

  • Texas sets a new wind power record in November

    Texas sets a new wind power record in November

    DALLAS (TIP): Wind power set a new record in Texas in November with 10,301 megawatts of power generated, according to the Electric Reliability Council of Texas. Wind turbines set the record at 10:39 a.m. Nov. 2, providing 33.4 percent of the power within ERCOT, which covers 85 percent of Texas. The state of Texas currently has 11,500 MW of installed wind power so the grid used nearly 90 percent of the power available when it set the record. The previous record was 10,296 MW set on March 26. Wind power produced 23.9 million MWh so far in 2014, or 9 percent of the power in the state. Texas has by far the most wind power of any state and produces more wind power than many countries. Still, wind power has faced criticism from politicians in Austin who say it relies too much on subsidies and should stand on its own. Supporters say all types of energy, including coal, oil and natural gas, receive their share of incentives and tax breaks. One Dallas company has a unique take on building community wind farms in West Texas and the Panhandle