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Student activists place fliers in banned books at a park across the street from Seven Lakes High School in Katy on Monday, Feb. 21, 2022. The group will distribute books to other students in Katy ISD.

Members of the Memorial Park Conservancy attend the inauguration ceremony of the eastbound Memorial Drive Land Bridge, Monday, March 28, 2022, in Houston.

Artist Roland Saldana (@soder_texas) pained the Selena mural outsideThe Arena vintage clothing store at 4802 Washington.

Ron Paul couldnt deliver the presidency for the Libertarian Party but the doctor appears to have earned a spot in history after revelations that he delivered a beloved American musical icon in a Lake Jackson hospital. The Chronicles Joey Guerra reported this week, citing overlooked comments in a recent interview of Abraham Quintanilla, that his daughter, Selena, was delivered in 1971 by the former presidential hopeful and former Texas congressman. The father claims Paul didnt just bring the late Latina star into the world, he saved her from another doctors bad diagnosis. Quintanilla says his wife had been told she had a tumor and needed an operation to remove it, but when they consulted Paul for a second opinion, Quintanilla said Paul told him, that tumor that the other doctor wanted to remove has two arms and two legs. Shes pregnant. Imagine. Without Paul, there may have been no Selena, even for the short time that the Queen of Tejano Music graced this earth. To that prospect, we say ah-ah-ay, cmo nos duele!

The bird wasnt born in Texas but it visits as often as it can. An African flamingo known affectionately as Pink Floyd and officially as No. 492 for the tag on his leg, was spotted recently near Port Lavaca after 17 years on the lam following his triumphant 2005 jail break from the Sedgwick County Zoo in Kansas. Looks like Pink Floyd has returned from the dark side of the moon! Texas Parks and Wildlife wrote this week in a Facebook post complete with a video of the lanky, blushing bird sunning amid glistening waters. Sadly, his (or her?) pink partner in crime in the great escape from Kansas was never seen again. Were not sure how No. 492 has eked out a living all alone in the wild. We guess he just winged it. Spotted annually in Texas since 2018, with pit stops in Louisiana and Wisconsin, Texas wildlife officials say the flamingo is the only bird of its kind on the Texas Gulf Coast. Oh, the stories No. 492 could tell. His journey, the New York Times declared, would fit snugly into a Pixar movie script. Unfortunately, the best we can do is this humble Thumbs mention. Thumbs up to a flamboyant fowl out seeing the world, living his best life. Were confident this isnt the last leg of his journey. Texas wildlife officials say they have no plans of clipping the wild wanderers wings.

Kids these days. You cant seem to keep them away from books. Or at least, Katy ISD cant seem to. School districts like Katy ISD gained national interest for efforts to ban or restrict access to books like Maus, a nonfiction graphic novel-style text about the Holocaust published decades ago that is currently under review in KISD. In response, students across the state organized to resist with book clubs and distributions. At a Katy ISD school board meeting Monday, several students spoke against district efforts that encourage parents to flag books like Toni Morrisons Beloved for review and removal. I encourage you to read these books, Seven Lakes High School student Cameron Samuels told the board. Samuels has been making the case for five months now along with students like Cinco Ranch High School senior Peniel Otto. Were unimpressed with a school district playing book police. Thumbs up to the students you know, the people the school board claims to be protecting for standing up for themselves and their peers.

Big news for the big tunnels on Memorial Drive. After starting construction in 2020, the first 25-foot high tube covered in grass is now open. Part of a blockbuster project, the tunnels are part of a land bridge that pedestrians will eventually be able to use and cross, connecting the two sides of Memorial Park. Its historic. Its transformational, Mayor Sylvester Turner told reporters the day before the eastbound lane opened to traffic Monday. Across Houston, theres a need for projects that stitch together green spaces and walkable infrastructure. And we like the planned addition of acres of prairie landscape atop the land bridge. But its hard not to see the big investment as yet another accommodation to cars, which are now free to speed through the eastbound tunnel. Theyll have to wait until May to try out the westbound tunnel.

Speaking of accommodating cars, the estimated costs of the Interstate 45 rebuild jumped $750 million, according to the latest numbers. The project has been years in the making despite ongoing community complaints. While the highway overhaul has support from suburban drivers and officials, people in neighborhoods that would actually be affected by the plans, as well as environmental advocates, have continued to object to the now increasingly pricey project. For now, the federal government is still reviewing those objections. What primarily is a highway for, we asked back in 2021 when the city and county both raised their frustrations with the plans. Is it to move people through an area as quickly as possible? Or is it designed to help make life better for the residents through whose neighborhoods and cities it passes? The jury is still out, it seems. Meanwhile, the meter is running as a flawed project gets even more expensive.

The kind of dedication that leads a sports columnists to literally eat the ink-spiced strips of an entire Chronicle sports page just because he said he would if his Texans prediction proved wrong deserves more than a mention in Thumbs. It deserves admiration, gratitude and maybe even a whole day named just for him. And thats exactly what Hall of Fame sportswriter John McClain got when he announced his retirement this week in his 47th year on the job. Mayor Sylvester Turner announced plans to proclaim April 5 John McClain Day in the city of Houston. Amid the well wishes and fond memories from coaches, players, Chronicle readers and especially colleagues who recalled not just a journalist of integrity but a man of kindness and generosity who made time to sign autographs and mentor new colleagues, one Twitter follower summed up McClain simply: Legend, the post read. Exactly.

See the original post here:
Thumbs: We have Ron Paul to thank for music icon Selena? - Houston Chronicle

Two things every Liberal, Conservative, Progressive, Libertarian, Anarchist, Et al. have in common is our humanity and overlapping needs and beliefs

A Libertarian believes in equality for all. Im all in for this!

An Anarchist believes that governmental hierarchy is flawed. Im all in for this!

A Liberal believes in equality before the law. Im all in for this!

A Conservative believes in individual freedom. Im all in for this!

A Progressive believes in evidence-based governing. Im all in for this!

Et al. believes in the personal pursuit of happiness. Im super all in for this!

We are not defined by our political affiliation, nor are we defined by our thoughts and beliefs. We are defined by our actions.

A wise Oroville houseless grandad I met in 2012 reinforced a core belief of mine thusly, Just act like a human being and you can safely go anywhere.

I believe this to be true, and we need to hold this truth as self evident; for we are all human. Flawed, factious and fantastic.

Bill Mash, Chico

Go here to see the original:
Letter: We are all defined by our actions - Chico Enterprise-Record

Filings closed Tuesday for the August Primary election with a few races forming countywide.

For Presiding Commissioner, incumbent Republican Harold Gallaher is seeking another term. Ryan Cooper has filed as a Libertarian.

For Prosecuting Attorney, incumbent Melissa Gilliam and Blake Dudley have filed on the Republican ticket.

For Recorder of Deeds, incumbent Republican Jay Graf and Libertarian Jacob Reagan Goff have filed.

Kristina Bone and Elaine Easter have filed as Republicans for Circuit Clerk.

For Associate Circuit Judge Division III, Republican Brice Sechrest has filed for election for the position to which he was recently appointed.

For Associate Circuit Judge Division IV, incumbent Pat King and Julie McCarver have filed as Republicans for the position.

Angie Usery has filed as a Republican for St. Francois County Collector.

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For County Auditor, incumbent Republican Louie Seiberlich has filed.

For County Clerk, incumbent Republican Kevin Engler filed.

For the Republican Central Committeeman - Perry Township, Randy Hubbard and Mike Miller have filed.

For the Republican Central Committeeman - St. Francois Township, Ben Bradley, Chuck Dodson and Kyle Smith have filed.

In Madison County, the primary includes Associate Judge 24th Circuit, Prosecuting Attorney, Presiding Commissioner, Circuit Clerk, Treasurer, Recorder of Deeds, Collector and Clerk of County Commission.

Daniel P. Fall filed in the Republican primary for associate judge.

Incumbent M. Dwight Robbins filed in the Republican primary for prosecutor.

For Madison County Presiding Commissioner, incumbent Jason Green and Jim Thompson have filed in the Republican primary.

For Madison County Circuit Clerk, incumbent Tenia Hermann filed in the Republican primary.

For Madison County Treasurer, incumbent Jessica D. Stevens filed in the Republican primary.

For Madison County Recorder of Deeds, incumbent Saundra Ivison filed in the Republican primary.

For Madison County Collector, Sarah B. Garcia filed in the Republican primary.

For Madison County Clerk of County Commission, incumbent Donal Firebaugh filed in the Democratic primary.

For the U.S. Senate seat, a number of candidates have filed for both parties. Republican candidates are Mark McCloskey, Eric Greitens, Hartford Tunnell, Deshon Porter, Dave Sims, Patrick A Lewis, Billy Long, Eric Schmitt, Vicky Hartzler, C.W. Gardner, Robert Allen, Dave Schatz, Bernie Mowinski, Dennis Lee Chilton, Kevin Schepers, Rickey Joiner, Robert Olson, Russel Pealer Breyfogle Jr, Darrell Leon McClanahan III, Curtis D. Vaughn and Eric McElroy. Democratic candidates are Gena Ross, Lewis Rolen, Spencer Toder, Carla Coffee Wright, Lucas Kunce, Scott Sifton, Josh Shipp, Clarence Taylor, Pat Kelly, Tudy Busch Valentine, Ronald William Harris and Jewel Kelly. Libertarian Candidate Jonathan Dine and Constitution Candidate Paul Venable have also filed.

For U.S. Rep. District 8, two Republicans have filed, Jacob Turner and incumbent Jason Smith. Randi McCallian has filed as Democrat and Jim Higgins as Libertarian.

For State Rep. District 115, incumbent Republican Cyndi Buchheit-Courtway has filed for reelection and Barbara Marco has filed as a Democrat.

Incumbent State Representatives Dale Wright, Mike Henderson, Chris Dinkins and Rick Francis have filed for their respective districts with no opposition.

Mark Marberry is a reporter for the Farmington Press and Daily Journal. He can be reached at 573-518-3629, or at mmarberry@farmingtonpressonline.com

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Continued here:
Filings close with races forming in SFC | Government and Politics | dailyjournalonline.com - Daily Journal Online

How much of your decision-making are you actually responsible for? When it comes to making a choice, how much of it is actually in our hands?

Did you choose to read this article, or did some algorithm bring you here? Why are you wearing those particular clothes right now? And why did I decide to write this when I could have done anything else? Does free will our ability to freely choose between multiple options without any external force predetermining our decision really exist? Do people decide between right and left, good and evil, chocolate and vanilla? Philosophers have grappled with this since ancient times. There are three main schools of thought: determinism, libertarianism, and compatibilism. Lets consider what they mean and their relevance in our lives.

Absolute determinists believe we do not act freely. Plato argued that our actions are determined by our impulses, our conditions, and a bunch of other things. For example, Charles Darwin talked of biological and evolutionary factors, Karl Marx outlined economic constraints, Sigmund Freud developed theories around unconscious drives, and more recently, Rene Girard said that we copy those around us. In short, the determinists think that your procrastination issues can be blamed on literally everyone BUT you. Congratulations! Enjoy watching way too much Netflix in one go instead of doing more exercise it turns out you dont have a choice in the matter.

Immanuel Kant takes the opposite stance, a more libertarian view. In the broader sense, this approach argues that if free will doesnt exist, neither does moral responsibility. Without culpability, there are no systems of justice, and without justice, there would be chaos and anarchy. For libertarians, the responsibility for our choices is self-evident: you chose TV over volunteering at a puppy shelter, and thats on you.

Gottfried Leibniz takes what is called the compatibilist stance: we have liberty and free choice, but we make those choices within a framework determined by outside influences. You and only you decided to stay up until 5 am watching a new season of Stranger Things. BUT the season is brand new, and everyones been talking about it, and youre already seeing spoilers online, and Jimmy Fallon just posted 15 interviews with the cast. But you still made the choice to stay up so late when you have a full day of work the next day.

Photo credit: Unsplash.com, Mesut Kaya

So, whats the right answer? Which makes the most sense? Before we jump to any conclusions, lets see if Jewish philosophers have anything interesting to say on the matter (and you may be surprised to find out that there are several different approaches, so I will pick one that aligns with each category).

Rabbi Mordechai Yosef Leiner argues that free will is an illusion. God controls all, and therefore everything we say or do is predetermined. Rabbi Joseph Albo, on the other hand, takes a strong libertarian approach: as long as choice exists, we have the possibility to choose, no matter how challenging our predisposition, surroundings, or other influences.

Maimonides takes more of a compatibilist approach. We may have free will when it comes to individual decisions, but we are still the subjects of social determinism. Our environment inherently affects us, and Maimonides encourages us to choose positive settings that are more likely to facilitate positive results. Its like your parents always told you: choose your friends wisely and always listen to Maimonides because he was a doctor AND a rabbi.

And where does God fit in? Does God fit in? Sure, God definitely knows what you were ultimately going to choose, but youre still the one empowered to make that choice.

Who you were, who you are and who you can be are separable: failure is never fatal, and were always able to wipe our slate clean and start afresh.

So, we make decisions, and some of those decisions are bad ones because we are human. And some of those decisions feel impossible to correct. One of the foundational tenets of Judaism is the ability to restart anew. Who you were, who you are and who you can be are separable: failure is never fatal, and were always able to wipe our slate clean and start afresh.

Photo credit: Unsplash.com, Timo Stern

Rabbi Eliyahu Dessler developed an idea called the choice point. We all have a choice point, even if we dont realize it. The factors that lead us to our choice point are deterministic, but we have all the power once we get there. We do the choosing and no one else. For example, most of us dont find it particularly challenging not to steal. But somebody who has been conditioned to engage in theft may find themselves in a situation where theyre desperate enough or know theyll never get caught. Deterministic factors may have shaped everything leading up to that point; yet the liberty to steal or not steal is still very much there. If we had to rank two people just for fun: one who hasnt been brought up in an environment of thievery and one who has and neither of them steals anything, one could argue that the person who fights their deterministic factors scores way more points. We must be responsible for our actions and acknowledge that while there may be a limited number of paths, we ultimately choose which one to take.

We must be responsible for our actions and acknowledge that while there may be a limited number of paths, we ultimately choose which one to take.

Rabbi Dessler wasnt just a philosopher; he was also an ethicist. So, while he understood that people will find themselves with certain choice points, he also challenged people to work on themselves and reach a stage where morally problematic choices are harder and harder to make. Victor Frankl once wrote one of my favorite quotes: Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom. Frankls experience in Auschwitz was a hell on earth that managed to inspire this concept. In the concentration camp, ones liberty and identity were stripped to the extreme. It seemed as if there were no choices to be made; you did what you were told. In short, this was determinism to the max. And yet it was in this seemingly impossible situation that Frankl identified room for possibility. No one, he argued, not even those imposing the cruel condition upon their victims could determine the individuals attitude to the situation. Even as a prisoner, one has a choice point the choice of feeling hope or giving up.

So much in this world is determined for us, and yet there are elements of freedom everywhere. Where we were born and who we are was chosen for us, but we can always choose who we want to become. The choice is ours.

Feature image photo credit: Unsplash.com, Jukan Tateisi

Read more from the original source:
Free Will: The Choice to Choose - aish.com - Aish

The primary election is less than six weeks away. That means we have another five weeks of television political ads to sit through. It also means we have five weeks to determine which candidates we think would best represent us in the offices they are seeking.

If you are a registered voter in Dawson County you have probably received a letter from the county clerk explaining the redistricting and how it may affect your voting location and your ballot. Every 10 years government entities are required to adjust their precinct, subdivision and district boundaries based on population data collected from the U.S. Census. Part of the requirement is to make sure that districts, such as county commissioner districts, are equal in population numbers.

We experienced the results of the redistricting in the Legislature as well, as new boundaries were drawn that changed which district the community is in and who our representative is. Dawson County was formerly in the 33rd Legislative District, represented by Sen. Matt Williams. As a result of the redistricting, the county is now in the 44th District under Sen. Dan Hughes.

A native of Imperial, Sen. Hughes is a farmer and businessman who was first elected to the Nebraska Legislature in 2014. He was re-elected in 2018, and has not filed to retain his seat. Two candidates are looking to fill that position - Edward Dunn and Theresa Ibach.

Edward Dunn was born in Spokane, Washington. He served in the U.S. Army from 2004 to 2014. He earned an associate degree from Phoenix University in 2007. Dunn has served as a Joint Operations Committee Board Member for Nebraska Municipal Power Pool, a Finance Committee Board Member for Municipal Energy Agency of Nebraska, the West Central Nebraska Development District President, the District Governor Elect for Nebraska Lions Multiple District 38L, and the Vice President of the Perkins County Chamber of Commerce. He is affiliated with the Grant Lions Club and the Grant Rotary Club.

Dunn will face off in the May 10 primary against Theresa Ibach, who has not yet completed a candidate survey or provided a biography.

Candidates you will see on the statewide primary ballot include: for Governor of Nebraska - Carol Blood and Roy Harris, Democratic candidates; and Republican candidates Donna Nicole Carpenter, Michael Connely, Charles Herbster, Brett Lindstrom, Lela McNinch, Jim Pillen, Breland Ridenour, Theresa Thibodeau and Troy Wentz. Libertarian Scott Zimmerman is also on the gubernatorial ballot.

No candidates will appear on the primary ballot for Lieutenant Governor, and for the office of Nebraska Attorney General two Republican candidates have filed: Jennifer Hicks and Mike Hilgers. There are no Democratic candidates for attorney general, and one third party candidate - Larry Bolinger, representing the Legal Marijuana Now Party.

There are no Democratic candidates in the primary for the office of Secretary of State. The three Republican candidates are Bob Evnen (Incumbent), Robert Borer and Rex Schroder. There will also be no Democratic candidates on the primary ballot for State Treasurer. Republican candidates are John Murante (Incumbent) and Paul Anderson; and Katrina Tomsen is also running for the office representing the Libertarian party.

The seat of State Auditor has two Republican candidates - Larry Anderson and Mike Foley. Also on the ballot for that position are Libertarian Gene Siadek and L. Leroy Lopez of the Legal Marijuana Now Party.

The State Board of Education is divided into eight districts, with Dawson County located in District 7. Currently we are represented on the Board by Robin Stevens of Gothenburg, who is seeking re-election. Opposing him on the primary ballot are Pat Moore and Elizabeth Tegtmeier.

Dawson County is also located in District 7 on the State Board of Regents, which has three candidates on the primary ballot for that seat. Those three are Nolan Gurnsey, Matt Williams and Kathy Wilmot. For Public Service Commissioner District 5 there are three Republican candidates: Mary Ridder (Incumbent), Dakota Delka and Kevin Stocker.

To register to vote in Nebraska, you must be a citizen of the United States, a resident of the Nebraska county in which you are registering, and at least 18 years old by the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. A voter registration application can be completed in person at the county clerk or election commissioner's office, the Department of Motor Vehicles, or other state agencies. In-person registration must be completed by the second Friday preceding the election - which this year is April 29. Applications returned by mail must be postmarked by April 22, and online applications must be submitted by 5 p.m. on April 22.

Polls for the primary election on Tuesday, May 10 will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. If you have questions about your polling location contact the Dawson County Clerks office.

More:
ELECTION 2022: Statewide Seats on the Primary Ballot - Gothenburg Leader