The above case demonstrates the risk that some helmets may be defective due to inaccurate design or an overlooked flaw from the manufacturing process. In addition, even when a motorcyclist correctly wears a helmet that is approved by the Department of Transportation, he or she may endure serious brain injury or even death, depending on vehicle speed and the surrounding elements. Nevertheless, wearing a helmet (and protective clothing and gear) greatly decreases the chance of injury and death for motorcyclists.

Riding a motorcycle can be an enjoyable experience; however, many risks are involved, especially when considering the lack of protection one has against surrounding vehicles and the surfaces of a roadway in the event of a motorcycle collision in Dallas, Texas. The importance of knowing how to operate a motorcycle efficiently and safely cannot be emphasized enough. However, other motorists must remember that they have the responsibility of sharing the road with motorcyclists.

With so much recent news regarding gun control, I felt compelled to add my own two cents. 

Oddly “gun control” typically takes the form of disarming responsible citizens, rather than helpful and sensible controls like the Brady Bill.  I strongly support better education in proper gun use.  I would fully support legislation that required one to take a gun safety course before being permitted to purchase a firearm.  Nonetheless, I also recognize the fact that history, studies of disarmament laws enacted in England, and logic all tell us that completely disarming responsible citizens will lead to increases in crime and tragic loss of life.  A responsible citizen does his or her best to abide by the laws of our state and nation.  If laws were enacted which demanded that citizens surrender their firearms, most innocent and responsible citizens would comply, even if they did not agree with the law.  Criminals, of course, would not comply and would remain armed.  The loss of our Second Amendment Right to Bear Arms would lead to a nation in which only the criminals are armed.

I grew up on a farm.  Guns were as common as telephones . . . and our home certainly had more of the former.  These guns were not locked away or fitted with trigger locks, nonetheless, neither I nor my brother dared touch them while we were children.  Instead of hiding away these guns (which can lead to creating an unhealthy fascination for children), they were in plain view.  My brother and I were taught that guns are dangerous and that we were never to touch them.  On the farm, we witnessed these guns being used to protect our family’s horses and cows from preditors such as wolves, which left us with no doubt as to their deadly effect.  Guns are always present in a typical farm town home . . . a gun rack might be displayed above the television in the family living room.  It is a common sight and neighbors and visitors are never surprised or uncomfortable.  Every farm town home has firearms and that fact is well known within the community.  The knowledge that every homeowner is armed seems to serve as a strong deterrent to crime.  To this day, in the farm area where I grew up, few people lock their front door (even when away for the day).  Cars are left in the driveway, unlocked and with the key in them.  Theft is practically unheard of there and I’ve never known of an armed robbery to occur in that area.

On the flip side, farm town children are taught to properly handle guns.  (As an aside, we were also taught how to properly handle knives.)  Although “fun” games like laser tag or paint ball were not in existence when I was a child (Pong was advanced technology at the time), had it been in existence, my brother and I would have never been allowed to play them.  We did have toy guns, cork guns and cap guns were always a favorite, BUT we were taught to NEVER point our toy guns at a person.  My brother and I were punished appropriately, with our toy guns being taken away, if we even accidentally pointed our toy gun at another person.  We were always taught that guns are NEVER, EVER to be aimed at people, even if they are toys, even if they are unloaded — accidents can happen and you just never take that chance.  In my lifetime, I’ve never known of a child to have an accident with a firearm in the country town where I grew up.  

As a young adult, I learned the proper use of a gun.  I was taught how to shoot at a gun range and taught the importance of proper cleaning and care of a gun.  If someone asks to see your gun, it is first unloaded, and then handed over carefully with the empty cylinder open.  The safe use of a gun cannot be over emphasized.

Chilling tragedies like the Columbine High School and the Virgina Tech massacres can cause those who have not learned a to have a healthy respect for firearms to believe that the best answer is to ban them.  I don’t blame anyone for having this initial gut reaction, particularly if they’ve never owned a firearm or been properly educated about their use.  Slogans such as “guns don’t kill people, people do” have limited effect against that gut reaction which leads us to believe that fewer people would have been slaughtered if the killer hadn’t had a gun.  Yet, let us never forget the thousands of lives lost on September 11, 2001, at the hands of terrorists armed only with box cutters.

A recent occurrence has highlighted the tremendous benefit of arming “the good guys.”  Nonetheless, with the majority of the media supporting the abolition of our second amendment right to bear arms, this crucial aspect of the recent thwarted massacre seems to have received little coverage.             

–  On Wednesday, June 10, 2009, a crazed 88 year old anti-Semitic walked into the crowded U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum and opened fire.  Guard Stephen Johns lost his life in the attack.  The loss of this one life is certainly a senseless tragedy.  The aspect of this horrific event that received little media coverage is that fact that another armed security guard quickly reacted by utilizing his own firearm to disable the shooter and put an early stop to what was clearly planned by the gunman to be a massacre of monumental proportions.  The museum was filled with school children and tourists.  Had this heroic security guard not been armed, had he not acted quickly, our nation would still be in overwhelming shock and mourning at the loss of the lives of hundreds of innocent children and visitors.  On June 10, 2009, the improper use of a firearm by a crazed lunatic led to the unfortunate loss of the life of one heroic man, Guard Stephen Johns . . . and THE PROPER USE OF A FIREARM BY ANOTHER HEROIC GUARD SAVED THE LIVES OF HUNDREDS MORE.  Unfortunately, there is not always a heroic guard nearby when tragedy strikes.  No guard was nearby at Columbine High School or Virgina Tech when the deranged madmen made their attacks; yet, had there been a properly armed citizen present, the death tolls would have likely been minimized just as they were at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum on June 10, 2009.

My undergraduate degree is in Philosophy.  I have a deep love of learning and believe strongly in learning all the facts from each side of an argument before reaching a conclusion.  On issues such as “gun control,” it is easy to make emotional decisions that are based upon one’s gut feelings.  Yet, the issue is too important to rely solely on one’s gut feelings.  Do the research.  Listen to the reasoned and educated arguments from both sides.  Ignore the fanatical rantings that are certain to be espoused on both sides of any important issue.  If you do not own a gun and have never used a gun, take a gun safety course.  Doing so does not mean that you must purchase a gun, most facilities will rent a gun to you for purposes of taking the course.  If you believe in disarming citizens, taking a gun safety course does not mean that you must give up your beliefs.  Taking a course and educating yourself about the proper use of these weapons will simply allow you to make a more informed decision.  If after learning about the proper use of a firearm you continue to believe that responsible citizens should lose their Second Amendment Right to Bear Arms, then your belief will be based upon a more educated evaluation of the facts — which is all that persons such as myself ask of you.

Basically, a dog owner can be liable for injuries and damages caused by his or her dog if:

1)  It is established that he or she owned or had possession of the dog.  This can go beyond our typical understanding of ownership — it can include such things as keeping an animal (such as taking in a stray dog) or simply allowing the dog to be kept at a home or other property that the individual owns.  This means that under certain circumstances a landlord can even be held liable for the actions of a tenant’s dog.

2)  The dog had vicious or aggressive tendencies that were not generally normal for dogs. 

3)  The owner either knew or should have known that the dog was dangerous.  This is most commonly show by demonstrating that the owner was aware that the dog had bitten someone before.  If the dog has never shown dangerous tedencies before, then the owner will most likely not be liable for an injury caused by the first attack the dog has ever made. — Nonetheless, keep in mind that there is a huge difference between being liable and being sued!  The owner may very well be sued for the dog’s attack.  The fact that the dog had never shown vicious tendancies before the attack will then be used as a defense by the dog owner and, if proven, may be accepted by the jury as sufficient to find that the dog owner is not liabile for the dog’s actions.

4)  The dog’s dangerous tendencies caused the injured individual’s damages.  This simply means that the injured individual has to show that the bite actually caused the injuries that he or she is complaining of, such as scarring. 

These same basic rules also apply to other domestic  animals, such as cats, horses, or birds (you’d be surprised what a parrot bite can do!).  There is a much more severe standard that applies to owning a wild animal, like a raccoon or wolf.

Anyone who owns a dog or other domestic animal should take their responsibilities as a pet owner very seriously.  Make sure that your pets are securely maintained by keeping your home and fences secure and in good condition.  Good training is also extremely important, whether you go through a formal training class or simply do at home instruction.  Your dog needs to be properly socialized and trained to help ensure that the dog will be safe to expose to other people — especially children. 

At last count, Texas had over 600,000 registered watercraft that are used on the largest volume of inland water anywhere in the United States. With all of these boats on all of these lakes and rivers (not to mention the Gulf), accidents are not uncommon. Boating accidents can involve collisions between boats and between boats and personal watercraft, collisions between boats and obstructions such as rocks and tree trunks, and boats that capsize and trap people underneath. However, the most common type of boating‑related injury occurs when people fall off of a boat. The injuries caused by boating accidents are as serious as any that occur on land, and they include everything from broken bones and knee injuries all the way up to serious brain injuries and drowning.

According to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Texas averages about 150 serious injuries and about 50 deaths every year in boating accidents.  The typical boating death involves:

1. an open motorboat;
2. people boating between noon and 7 p.m. on a weekend;
3. the victim falling overboard; and
4. an operator between 26 and 50 years of age.

Many boating accidents also involve the overuse of alcohol—statistics show that alcohol is a factor in about half of all boating accidents, and that the use of alcohol while boating more than doubles the risk of having an accident.

The number one thing you can do to protect yourself when boating is to wear a life jacket. Like wearing your seatbelt, the use of a life jacket takes little time or effort but significantly increases your chances of surviving an accident, especially if you fall into the water. In fact, over 85% of the victims of boating accidents who drown are not wearing a life jacket at the time. Be sure to wear your life jacket even if you are a good swimmer, because even a good swimmer can get tired, suffer from a cramp, or be caught in an unexpectedly strong current. Look for one that is approved by the Coast Guard, and do not rely on water wings, inner tubes, or other inflatable toys. The life jacket you choose should have the appropriate rating for a person of your size. A life jacket that is too small will not support you and one that is too big may slip off unexpectedly. Carry a few extras, in case someone falls in while not wearing one or in case you come upon someone from another boat who does not have one on.  Remember: The law requires that all children younger than 13 years old wear a life jacket at all times when the boat that they are on is moving. Also, riders of all ages must wear a life jacket while riding a Personal Water Craft (PWC or jet ski). Make sure that children have life jackets sized for their smaller bodies. It is also a good idea to carry other kinds of gear that will allow you to help someone who has fallen into the water, such as spare ropes and a first‑aid kit.

The other major thing you can do to prevent boating accidents is to control the use of alcohol. Many people who would never drink and drive think nothing of having a few drinks and then taking their boat out for a spin. The fact is that boating while intoxicated (BWI) is a crime just like driving while intoxicated, and the same blood‑alcohol level of 0.08 means that you will be presumed to be an impaired boater. If you are caught BWI, you can be arrested, jailed, and even lose your driver’s license.

If you are involved in a boating accident, it is a good idea to report it to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department or (if the accident occurs in coastal waters) to the Coast Guard. If you have been injured in a boating accident through the negligence or carelessness of another, you might be entitled to be compensated for your injuries. The facts of each case will differ, and you will need to speak with an experienced lawyer to determine what your rights are.

BOATING SAFETY CHECKLIST

• Make certain you know how to safely operate the watercraft you are piloting. Consider taking a boating safety class.
• Make sure that your watercraft is well cared for and in good mechanical shape before taking it out on the water.
• Always wear a life jacket, and remember that children under the age of 13 are required to wear a Coast Guard‑approved life jacket while underway.
• Carry extra flotation devices in case you need to perform a water rescue.
• Follow the same rules that you would while driving your car: Operate the watercraft at a safe speed, do not overload it, and do not use alcohol. Boating while intoxicated is a crime that is treated in much the same way as driving while intoxicated, and it carries similar penalties.
• Keep a sharp lookout for submerged objects, other boaters, and, especially, personal watercraft such as jet skis.