Texas Archive

  • prison-cell

    Doing Time for Committing No Crime

    I suppose there’s never a good time to be wrongfully imprisoned, but now is as close to good as it gets. Today, Michael Anthony Green is scheduled to be a free man for the first time in 27 years. Green is now the longest-serving inmate to be exonerated in Texas. He was wrongfully convicted of rape in 1983.

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  • Texas, Our Texas

    Texas, Our Texas

    Texas: It’s a whole other country. While this phrase once caused me to smile and reflect fondly upon my native state, I’m not a fan of the latest manifestation of Texas’ rogue attitude: Rewriting History. On May 21, the Texas State Board of Education voted 9 to 5 to amend the social studies and history curriculum. The votes were taken right along party lines, with all Republicans in favor and all Democrats opposed.

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  • Grapes have seeds and other revelations

    Grapes have seeds and other revelations

    I'm fond of saying that I've learned a lot in my short time in Peace Corps Ukraine. And one of the more tangible things is a proverb: краше пізно ніж ніколі. It means "better late than never."

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  • The Lord Giveth and The Lord Taketh Away

    The Lord Giveth and The Lord Taketh Away

    I know what you are thinking. It’s been more than a month since my last post. But remember that time when I had two posts in one day? It’s that time again.

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  • Why I'm Thankful for Matt Chandler

    Why I'm Thankful for Matt Chandler

    It’s kind of a funny thing to say considering I’ve never met the guy or been to his church in Dallas. But I really am thankful for him. I heard him speak about a handful of times at Baylor and his message would always resonate with me, but I probably wouldn’t have had much more of a relationship to the guy if it wasn’t for my boyfriend (now the fiancé, holla!) setting-up my ipod.

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  • The First Snow

    The First Snow

    On a chilly Wednesday evening, I witnessed my first Ukrainian snowfall. It was silent and beautiful. We had just left the house to run out for some snacks to nibble on while we watched a movie. As I turned on my flashlight, I noticed little white flakes fluttering to the ground.

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  • Ike, I hardly knew ye

    Ike, I hardly knew ye

    Frightening radar images projected Hurricane Ike would decimate not only Galveston and Houston, but the surrounding areas as well. While certain parts of South Texas are devastated, Katy is not one of them.

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  • So much for happily ever after

    So much for happily ever after

    This wasn’t the ending I was hoping for. After nearly two years of weekly mentoring an at-risk teen, I had hoped for a more climactic closure.

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  • The false hope of the death penalty

    The false hope of the death penalty

    Pop Quiz: What do Afghanistan, Iran, North Korea, Cuba and the United States have in common?

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  • Let's put the next refinery in Crawford…

    Let's put the next refinery in Crawford…

    President Bush has called for more domestic oil exploration, asking congress to allow drilling in the Alaskan Wildlife Preserve and off the coasts. While some, including the president, say this will drive the cost of gas down, it isn’t exactly the golden ticket to the energy crisis.

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