Texas TV TakeBack Bill Signed
Last week Gov. Rick Perry signed a new law requiring television manufacturers to take back and recycle unused television sets in an effort to keep toxic materials out of our landfills and water.
Why is this a big deal you might ask? One, because pollutants in the water is just nasty. And two, because I feel it’s important to take care of the environment and do what we can to keep it safe for generations to come. The small things matter and when they make it easy for us to recycle any type of item, we should take full advantage of it.
I grew up in a neighborhood where we had to work to recycle stuff. Crushing cans and loading the car with paper and plastic bottles was a family affair for us. We would take it up to the community recycling bin and make multiple trips during the day if we couldn’t pack all of it in on the first trip. Now, all I have to do is throw my recyclables in a bin and put it on the corner during our recycle day.
While the bill has been signed by the governor, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality still has to design rules to implement and enforce the law. Until then check out the articles below to learn who current offers recycling programs for electronics in Texas.
What Texas’ new television recycling law means for consumers
President Obama’s Weekly Address – 06/18/11
Filed under: Blog Entries, Community, Family, Life, Obama, Relationships, Society & Culture
I thought this video was a great example of what father’s job should be.
On Father’s Day weekend, President Obama reflects on his experience as a parent and discusses the challenges and necessity of being a good father.
Happy Father’s Day: Not Much Has Changed
Filed under: Blog Entries, Family, Life, Photo Phinish, Relationships
Today marks the ten year “anniversary” of my dad’s passing (interesting that it falls on Father’s Day). I was looking through some old photos and found this one of the two of us chillin’ in his favorite chair. I have a couple of photos like this with my boys and I hope when they look at them they’ll remember the love I have for them.
Before my dad had his first stroke, we spent a lot of time together. He’d take me to work with him during the summer, to choir rehearsals during the week and I’d always see him working in the church. I learned a lot about the value of hard work and eventually took on one of his favorite hobbies (photography). While I hated some of the sayings he used (“You got McDonald’s money”), I find myself using them with my boys. He had a definite influence on my life and I appreciate all the lessons he taught me.
I miss my dad and I wish he’d had a chance to meet his grandsons. I’m sure he’d love them as much as he loved me. It’s up to me to pass the torch and I’m going to make sure they learn some of the same lessons he taught me. That’s what it’s all about. Be it their dad or someone filling in the role, boys need a male role model. They need someone who understands the challenges they’ll face as men to prepare them for the future. My dad was tough on us and being a dad raising two boys in today’s society, the need for those life lessons that dad can teach are more important than ever.
I love my boys and it’s my job to make sure they get what they need to be successful in life. It starts with getting them a good education and understanding of who they are. It’s not an easy task, but I’m up to the challenge. I helped bring them into the world, so the least I can do is be their primary example of what a man should be.
Happy Father’s Day to all the dads who know where I’m coming from.
Change
Filed under: Black Blogger Postings, Blog Entries, Business, Community, Education, Entertainment & Sports, Family, General, Health, Laughable, Legal, Life, Monday Motivation, Music Reviews, My Thoughts, My Utterz, MyBlogLog, Obama, Our Rights, Personal Finance, Photo Phinish, Podcasts, Podcasts - Tha Brothas, Politics, Relationships, Society & Culture, Technology, Think Global, Twitter
It’s been a while since I’ve posted on theotalks.net and I’ve had it on my task list to do this for a while. I’ve been debating it for some time, but I really think it’s time to start fresh. I’ve mentioned in other posts that blogging is hard work. If you’re not dedicated to the cause, you can easily suffer burnout. I’ve seen it before from some of my favorite sites and if you look at the last date I posted, you’ll see it here.
But despite the lack of posts, I still get a decent amount of hits and readers are still leaving comments on some of my older posts. I’m not the most prolific writer and I don’t consider myself to be well-versed in a lot of the stuff I blog about. But there’s something about this blogging thing that keeps sucking me back into it. I’ve grown to love the black blogger community and it has allowed me to meet some amazing people. There are a lot of people out there with some strong opinions about society and the world as they see it. Those are the people who I like to showcase and support.
I’m making some changes to the blog and what I blog about. I love the current theme and focus of theotalks, but I want to remove the restraints and give myself the opportunity to be all over the place. The new theme of the site is “Random thoughts about everything and nothing”. While it may be a little vague, that’s how I want to run the site from now on. My current theme of focusing on the black community is great, but there are so many other great bloggers out there consistently doing it. It takes time to put those posts together and right now, I’m at a different place in life.
So from here on out, expect the unexpected. As I feel moved, I’ll post about whatever is on my heart at the moment. I’ll also be showcasing some of my favorite bloggers and will work to get some of the guest writers back (you know who you are) to help a brotha out.
I haven’t decided if I’m going to start the podcast back up, but I might try my hand at video blogging. Only time will tell. Thanks to everyone who supports and reads this blog. It definitely keeps me motivated to stay at it.
God Bless.
Theo
Once Again It’s On!
Filed under: Blog Entries, Community, Education, Family, Health, My Thoughts, Obama, Politics, Society & Culture, Technology, Think Global
Earlier this morning President Obama began filing papers to seek re-election for President in 2012. The first thought in my mind was “here we go again”. I was surprised the first time he sought election and shocked when he beat out the Clintons for the Democratic nominee. But watching him over the past couple of years has shown me Obama can handle the critics and is willing to complete the tasks he promises to those who elect him.
Sure we don’t have our American utopia critics felt he promised in 2008, but let’s remember the downward spiral our country was going in before he was elected. Money was being thrown all over the place to fund the Iraq war, the housing sector was trash and companies who were too big to fail were in the corporate welfare line waiting for their share of the taxpayers’ money. It wasn’t pretty and I til this day can’t understand why he wanted to run for office in the first place. But he won and the country has never been the same since.
Our previous president told us that holding the office of Commander in Chief is hard work and I agree. I couldn’t imagine having to be responsible for making decisions that affect millions of people, but I feel President Obama has done what he feels is best for America and deserves a second term. I feel confident that despite all the political bickering, he thoughtfully considers every decision and moves after he’s heard all the options. Yes, not every decision is effective. But what president, CEO or executive can make the claim that all of the decisions they’ve made have worked? In the end, he’s the one held responsible. So let’s give him four more years to see if the laws he’s implemented work.
March 2nd – Fund Texas’ Future Day
Filed under: Blog Entries, Business, Community, Education, Family, Society & Culture, Technology, Think Global
I received this email from the local PTA in our district. As everyone might know, Texas is having some budget issues and education is one of the areas needing to make some major cuts. It’s funny how our politicians claim to care about the future of our kids and then force the school system to get rid of teachers and cut funding.
I’m sure we’d definitely see some results if this were a debate on raising taxes. Our priorities are so messed up. Please spread the word about March 2nd. We can’t let them get away with this and it’s going to take a unified effort to let them know we won’t stand for it. Don’t let them put Texas’ future on the back burner.
Read below for more information.
——————————————————————————————————————-
Dear Board, APs, CPs and Past Presidents,
In response to the numerous phone calls and emails regarding our position on funding education, Texas PTA is sponsoring a grassroots one-day event on March 2. The email below is scheduled to go out to our membership tomorrow and again next week, describing this email event and how the grassroots members can get involved by contacting their representative. Please use this email to help get the word out about this event or to answer any questions that may come your way. And, as always, please do not hesitate to contact Texas PTA with any questions.
Thank you!
March 2 – Fund Texas’ Future Day!
Dear Public Education Advocates,
Forward this email to everyone in your community who cares about Texas students!
It’s the biggest crisis in Texas history. Nearly five million Texas students need our help. Texas PTA is proclaiming Wednesday, March 2, as “Fund Texas’ Future Day.” It’s imperative we make sure our “house is in order” – the Texas House of Representatives in Austin, that is. Please light up cyberspace by emailing your state representative on Wednesday, March 2.
Find Your Representative
Use this website to find your representative:
http://www.fyi.legis.state.tx.us
Once you’ve identified your state representative, use this format for his/her email address:
First name (dot) last name (@) house (dot) state (dot) tx (dot) us
Then utilize the points below that will most influence your state representative.
Please personalize your message, but here are some important points to include in your email to your state representative:
- Texas PTA’s legislative position is that funding public education is a priority.
- Regardless of what your campaign promises might have been, there are nearly five million reasons for you to look at all sources of funding to protect public education.
- Cutting funding to public education is not acceptable.
- The Rainy Day Fund and all revenue sources should be considered to fund Texas’s future.
- Texas children are our future.
- Texas businesses cannot thrive without an educated workforce. The economic viability of our state is directly related to the education of our children.
March 2 is the day for PTA to take over cyberspace and let our voices be heard to protect our future – Texas students!
In addition, beginning March 2, Texas PTA encourages all schools to include the message, “Fund Texas’ Future” on their marquees.?
President Obama’s Weekly Address – 02/26/11
Filed under: Blog Entries, Business, Education, Personal Finance, Technology
The President discusses his recent travels and the examples he’s seen of how America can win the future. He urges Congress to heed these examples in the coming budget debate and to tighten our belts without eliminating investments in innovation, education and infrastructure.
February is American Heart Month
Filed under: Blog Entries, Community, Education, Health
The month of February is American Heart Month and I’d like for you to join me as I get the word out about the number one killer in America. If not you, I’m sure there’s someone in your family that has been affected by heart disease and as black people it’s even more important for us to be aware of how it can affect our lives.
When I was in middle school, my dad had a brain stem stroke that affected our lives more than we could ever imagine. Being the major bread winner in the household, my mom now had to manage and provide for the entire household. By God’s grace she was able to do it, but times were not always easy because she had to care for us and my dad. After waking up from a coma the doctor’s thought he would not live through, he was confined to a wheel chair and couldn’t do the day to day things we take for granted. He passed in 2001, but with some major lifestyle changes he lived 14 years longer than the doctors expected.
Heart disease is a scary thing and because it runs in my family, I know I have to be a little more vigilant in taking care of myself. I would hate for my family to be in the same position, so I do my best to make sure I do better when it comes to my health. There’s a lot of good information on the American Heart Association website and to get you started, I’ve provided some links to some helpful information we should all know.
Please spread the word and get involved in some of the heart-healthy programs offered by the AHA. Throughout the month, I’ll also be posting some things you can do to stay healthy.
Things you can do to stay (or get) healthy
Warning Signs of Heart Attack, Stroke or Cardiac Arrest
Heart360® – convenient and secure location for you to track and manage your heart health.
High blood pressure and African-Americans
Calling All Physical and Occupational Therapist in Houston
Filed under: Blog Entries, Business, General, Health, Personal Finance
Every so often I receive job postings and if requested I try to post them on the site. While the economy is still not where it needs to be it does seem like companies are hiring more. Things can’t change over night, but I do see signs of improvement.
If you are a licensed OTR, COTA, PTR, PTA or Speech Therapist, APS Therapeutic Touch Services, LLC is in need of your services. They serve the Houston, Missouri City, Richmond, Rosenberg, Sugar Land and outlining areas. For more information, please call the number below or email ajohnson@apstherapeutictouch.com and/or asegosebe@apstherapeutictouch.com and tell them Theo sent you.
APS THERAPEUTIC TOUCH SERVICES, LLC
12711 Alyssa Avenue
Missouri City, TX 77489
Office# 832-295-0406
Fax# 281-499-6130
Note:
OTR – Registered Occupational Therapist
COTA – Certified Occupational Therapist
PTR – Registered Physical Therapist
PTA – Certified Physical Therapist Assistant
President Obama’s Weekly Address – 01/01/11
Filed under: Blog Entries, Business, Obama, Personal Finance, Politics, Society & Culture
The President resolves to do all he can to get the economy growing and create jobs, and encourages Republicans to embrace their new responsibility to govern.
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