#toast Pos Reviews

[sunnydaleherald]

The Sunnydale Herald Newsletter, Thursday, February 8

Ken: That . . . was not . . . permitted. Buffy: Yeah, but it was fun.

~~Anne~~

[Drabbles & Short Fiction]

Between Two Geeks (Spike, T) by Apache Firecat

don't punch the driver (Angel/Spike, T) by bladeinthenorth

Words we can't read yet (Willow/Tara, T) by firemanwhenthefloodsrollback

read between the lines (Giles/Jenny, M) by CallMeVampy

Conspiracy (Buffy/Spike, T) by Joan963z

Want (Buffy/Spike, T) by Joan963z

Pratt’s Coffee and Cakes (Buffy/Spike, T) by firemanwhenthefloodsrollback

Willow Needs Kennedy's Help! (Willow/Kennedy, E) by MCorey1317

Anya Get Your Gun (Anya, G) by AJ Fields

It's Good to be Back (Spike, NR) by Distant_Echo_Of_The_Past

For Thirty Pieces of Silver (Drusilla, T) by genericaces

If Only I Could Feel You (Angel/Spike, M) by Bloody_Willamina

No Souls Like Ours (Angel/Spike, G) by CoffeeHunt

A Sign of Things to Come (Crossover with Hellblazer, G) by NAOA

Welcome Home (Buffy/Spike, T) by Joan963z

Epiphany (Buffy/Spike, NR) by Joan963z

Real (Buffy/Spike, T) by Joan963z

Nightmare on Revello Drive (Buffy/Spike, T) by Joan963z

Idea (Buffy/Spike, T) by Joan963z

Playing Loosey Goosey (Buffy/Spike, T) by Joan963z

Undercover Work (Buffy/Spike, T) by Joan963z

Phoenix (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by EllieRose101

[Chaptered Fiction]

Forgiveness Doesn't Come Easy, Chapter 21 (Buffy/Spike, R) by slaymesoftly

Champions of universes, Chapter 2 (Multiple crossings, T) by Bl4ckHunter

To Uncomplicate The Complicated, Chapter 1 (Buffy, M) by Tweety10

Tunnel of Love, Chapter 2 (Buffy/Spike, NR) by Joan963z

Secret Diary of William Henry Allen, Watcher 1908 – 1912, Chapter 1 (OC, M) by jaybird023

Bonds of Shadows, Chapter 8 (Buffy/Spike, PG-13) by Chewbacha

Agency Has It's Price, Chapter 15 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by Desicat

Cinder-Buffy, Chapter 18 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by holetoledo

Keep You Ghosted, Chapter 5 (Buffy/Spike, R) by hydranjenna

Unborn, Chapter 4 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by Lizzie Queen of Meigas

How to...The manual of instructions every Slayer needs, Chapter 6 (Buffy/Spike, R) by JSBirsa

Beg, Chapter 3 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by Maxineeden

Beneath The Moon And Across The Sun, Chapter 4 (Crossover with Harry Potter, FR15) by BlueZeroZeroOne

Death Is Buffy's Next Great Adventure, Chapter 117 (Crossover with Harry Potter, FR15) by Sharie

A Breath is But a Soundless Whisper, Chapter 19 (Buffy/Spike, 18+) by Blackoberst

Coming Through, Chapter 23 (Buffy/Spike, AO) by hulettwyo

Anarchy Tour, Chapter 3 (Buffy/Spike, R) by Alyot

Love Lives Here, Chapter 19 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by Passion4Spike

Other, Chapter 8 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by Grief Counseling

Massacre at Carabon Hill, Chapter 2 (Buffy/Spike, M) by Myrabeth

[Images, Audio & Video]

Artwork:Darla and Angel Through the Years by eagle_eyes

Artwork:[Angel & Darla] by genericaces

Artwork:[Spike & Drusilla] by problematic-toast

Manip:experimenting by boopsterliv

Gifset:2x15 "Phases" by clarkgriffon

Gifset:BUFFY SUMMERS IN THE REPLACEMENT || SPIKE IN OUT OF MY MIND by detectivedawnsummers

Video: books to read based on your fave BTVS characters by Shannon

[Reviews & Recaps]

February 8, 2000 by on-this-day-btvs

This is our gift | Buffy the Vampire Slayer 5x21 "The Weight of the World" | Normies Group Reaction by The Normies

"The Freshman" (4x1) | *Buffy the Vampire Slayer* Reaction by cass reacts

My FAVOURITE Episode? "The Dark Age" Reaction & ANALYSIS | Buffy the Vampire Slayer 2x8 by Tyler Alexander

Buffy the Vampire Slayer 5x6: Family Reaction!!! by Pennywell Productions

Buffy the Vampire Slayer S02E12 || First Time Watching || "Bad Eggs" by JabberwockyReacts

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER - S6 EP 16 HELL'S BELLS (2002) REACTION VIDEO & REVIEW FIRST TIME WATCHING by Reel Reviews With Jen!

Life Serial: Buffy The Vampire Slayer 6X05 Reaction by Dakara

Buffy The Vampire Slayer Hot Takes! by Another Booktube Channel

Sunnydale Live #3: The Harvest by The Uncanny Fans

Podcast: More Herbie Than K.I.T.T. - Angel S05E17 - Underneath by Pop Culture Role Call

[Recs & In Search Of]

The great Spuffy fanfic hunt! by Artistic_Jellyfish_2

[Community Announcements]

More guests hosts needed by Comment Fic

[Fandom Discussions]

[What if ask] by jbuffyangel

[Faith's emotional damage to Buffy] by izniaok & nevergonnabemuchmorethanweather

[Iconic Buffy moment season 3] by ratanarchist

more buffems by breezybeej

Songs that fit different verse relationships by multiple authors

Willow and Judaism by hikingdyke

I think folks should stop telling people they need to "endure" the show until mid-Season 2 by the-rules-lawyer and multiple authors

Buffy Oops by multiple authors

Spike using a mannequin to practice interacting with Buffy- endearing or cringe? by multiple authors

Even though they were the big bads I loved The Mayor and Faith so much by multiple authors

Parallels between Faith's and Buffy's depression by multiple authors

People seem to keep forgetting that Buffy is the odd one out. by multiple authors

Tara's magic stance by multiple authors

Faith redemption by multiple authors

Evil 101 by multiple authors

Buffy: The Vampire Slayer and/or Angel Alternate Universes or Episode Scenarios? by multiple authors

Do you consider Buffy/Angel dark shows? by multiple authors

What do you think of this Buffy and Faith scene in season 7? by multiple authors

Submit a link to be included in the newsletter!

Join the editor team :)

[tumblydovereviews]

The Rise of Teletubbies

You wake up in a hole, located inside of a hill in a vast valley. For breakfast, you have some Tubby custard and toast, prepared by your friend Noo-Noo the vacuum. And then, you frolic outside for a while until an intercom shouts, "Time for Teletubbies!" and you follow the voice's call, eager for the day to begin. You are a Teletubby.

It's the grand return of @tumblydovereviews, and what better way to bring this series back by researching one of the most infamous, yet long-running, children's shows of all time- Teletubbies.

Before this post, I just wanted to apologize to my non-existent followers on the giant, unexpected hiatus. My profile tells you that there will be new posts every week or two. Obviously, that's not the case. With schoolwork, sports, life in general, and a lack of general media consumption, I've been running out of ideas on what to post here. But one day, out of the blue, I just became victim to a giant burst of productivity stemming mainly from the upcoming release of the new Bluey special, and, blessed with my new skills of time management, this review blog is back! (Hopefully!)

Expect a long four-part analysis on Bluey and its three latest episodes coming soon, but for now, let's ease back into the groove of things by talking Teletubbies.

Around the early 90s, it was becoming increasingly apparent that technology's impact in society was much more noticeable, and children in particular were interacting with it in a way we hadn't seen before. Inspired by these changes, two showrunners, Anne Wood and Andrew Davenport, who had recently started the process of wrapping up another preschool show of theirs, Tots TV, created a pitch for the show that would later go on to be Teletubbies. While not much is known about the actual pitch as of writing this post, we do know that the BBC greenlit it on first try, loving Davenport and Wood's ideas.

Production was far from easy, even after the show had been commissioned. Filming for Teletubbies was an issue; the crew struggled to find a place that could appropriately depict the type of world they were aiming to film, and when they did find a plot of land, it was ravaged by wild animals and angry locals.

Another problem was in auditioning actors for the four main roles- Tinky Winky, Dipsy, Laa Laa, and Po. Not many actors were able to prevent themselves from becoming overly babyish and conveying the tone of the Teletubbies in a weird way, which made finding a proper actor even harder. A particular actor the creators were drawn to was Pui Fan Lee, who, despite lacing the ability to speak the Tubby language in an English dialect, still enamored the crew with her native Cantonese. In order to compromise, it was decided that Lee would be brought on as Po and the Teletubby would be bilingual.

The size of the Teletubbies was an issue as well. Because the Teletubbies were so tall (Tinky Winky stood at an whopping eight feet!) everything else around them needed to reflect their large size. A special breed of rabbits were bred to be used on the show, but the excessive reproduction led to heart issues, which led to numerous rabbit deaths on set, much to the sadness of Wood and the on-set animal trainers.

As part of their greenlight, the BBC requested that lice-action scenes featuring real-life kids were put into the series in some shape or form, However, the creators knew for sure that the size of the Teletubbles would easily scare the young kids they needed to film. So, it was decided that the Teletubbies would have the now-iconic television screens on their stomachs, so the children could film outside of set and simply give their footage to be projected to the audience via a Teletubby's tummy.

Despite these issues, production for Teletubbies went on, for the most part, as planned. And, on March 31st, 1997, Teletubbies would officially premiere on CBeebies with the episode, Ned's Bicycle.

Initial reception on Teletubbies was mixed; some critics dismissed the show as harmless for kids, if not a bit nonsensical for parents and older children. Others were less concerned about the Teletubbies' antics and anxious about their unique way of talking. The Teletubbies communicate through a fictional language, sounding like baby babble or gibberish, and some parents feared that instead of stimulating a child's development like the program claimed it would, the series would stunt it.

The odd world of the Teletubbies just so happened to be what drew viewers into the show in the first place, especially students in college and university. In fact, some students have come out and called the show "psychedelic" in a weird, twisted way, comparing the effects the show has on you to drugs.

The mainly gibberish talk also eliminated the need for a large amount of money going into dubs, leading Teletubbies into being a success globally and across different demographics as well, especially in the United States, where the series started its run on PBS in 1998.

Controversy for the series would not end there. In 1997, the season 1 episode titled See-Saw would be banned in several countries for featuring a sketch called The Lion and the Bear, using paper puppets, dark lighting, and cinematography to create a scene some found unsettling for themselves and their children. In 2000, a more child-friendly revised version of the segment would be used as a replacement for the original.

In 1999, eagle-eyed viewers noticed that one of the characters, Tinky-Winky, who was male, had a habit of carrying a bright red bag, similar to a womens' handbag. Tinky-Winky was also purple and had a triangle on top of his antenna, both which at the time were symbols for the gay community. Fear mongering and homophobia would lead to the situation becoming so out of hand that the BBC themselves would need to step into the limelight and confirm that Tinky-Winky was, in fact, straight, silencing the fears of grown men all across the world.

Despite all these controversies, Teletubbies was still a massive success for the BBC, airing a total of 365 episodes across four years before coming to an end on February 16th, 2001. The series would continue to air on BBC for over a decade after its initial run, and would go on to attract a sizeable cult following, mainly of college students and other young adults.

But, the Teletubby fun didn't stop there. In 2014, it was announced that an all-new Teletubbies reboot has been greenlit for release the following year with an initial order of 60 episodes. The Teletubbies were back, and the group of toddler-like aliens made their grand return to small screens all across the UK on November 9th, 2015. 120 new episodes were produced and aired across the world, notably Nick Jr. in the USA instead of PBS Kids, until October 12th, 2018. In November of 2023, a US dub of this reboot would release on Netflix, most notably with Broadway actor Titus Burgess narrating and the sun baby being depicted by a variety of different children instead of one sole actor.

Outside pf the main series, there have been four separate Teletubbies spin-off series, the first being Teletubbies Everywhere, a en-minute series that taught basic letters, numbers, and shapes to a slightly older demographic then the main show. Another spin=off, this time focusing on the Teletubbies' baby counterparts introduced in the 2015 series, the Tiddlytubbies, debuted as a YouTube exclusive, as well as two CG-animated spinoff shorts, Teletubbies: Let's Go, and Teletubbies: Ready, Steady, Go! The characters have appeared both parodied and played straight in shows such as Britain's Got Talent, Regular Show, and Saturday Night Live Korea. Despite the main series having ended decades ago, the Teletubbies have shown no signs of dying anytime soon.

But why?

Well, for one thing, the way the series was produced leads it to be fairly timeless. There are little-to-no pop culture references, the characters barely speak and instead use a universal gibberish, and the themes of friendship and discovery still resonate with kids today, now more than ever.

In a world where chill, slow-paced children's shows are slowly becoming less of the m=norm and more of a rare delicacy, Teletubbies still exists widely. The show's lack of a set theme and more slice-of-life presentation, unlike its short-lived predecessor Boohbah, manages to keep it from aging significantly.

Teletubbies was also a surprisingly progressive show for its time, not being afraid to depict characters of different races, ethnicity, and, most notably, defying gender norms, whether through Tinky Winky's handbag or Po's occasional Cantonese. It's unfortunate that a group of sentient alien toddler-like creatures are more accepting of our differences then some grown adults in our world today, but, alas, that is life.

The truth of the matter is that, while mildly annoying for most people over the age of six and immensely appreciated by others, Teletubbies deserves much more merit than it is given nowadays. For a show that was fairly hated in the past, Teletubbies has aged particularly well.

[littlegeckotech]

We generally read about the news reports that restaurants are are closing here and there in the town. When we try to find the reasons why the restaurants are closing then we find that all of the world the restaurants run on a very thinner margins, eve thinner than a sushi knife. Even the restaurants that are opened by Michelin stars, have a great reviews, employing celebrity chefs are also on the list of the restaurants that closed in United States. Now there is a question that how can a Restaurant Contractor in Boston Call 617-749-7139  find the type of such which will mean longevity and serving diners for years or end abruptly? One of the smartest way is the use of restaurant technology which is right for the restaurant to grow and reap rich profits so that it can run for a very longer period of time without the fear of holes in its bottom lines.

One of the main profit centre in a full service restaurant is its bar. It is very important that the bottom lines maintained in the bar operations with a efficient beverage plan, and same can be programmed on day to day basis as per the customers demand and preferences.

The next question arises as how technology can help in making sure that your restaurant can have a strong bottom lines. Inventory management software especially developed for the restaurant can help in drafting strategies that drive profits and more money in your bank account. Below are some of the points which the owner or managers of the restaurant should consider in applying the technology in restaurant operations.

According to Hospitality Technology study survey most of the restaurants spend 32% on software and 27% on hardware, personal 20% and network and telecommunication. So as per their study the main top goals that restaurant owner using technology in restaurant projects are:

Improve operational/process efficiency

Improve customer engagement/loyalty

Increase employee productivity

Let us examine how by spending on technology that is specially designed for the restaurant industry business can pay off in long run.

Improving Operational Efficiency: The right kind of Point of Sales (POS) system can make all the necessary difference in keeping the restaurant business smoothly. Few examples how operational efficiency can save lot of money in restaurant operations.

Accuracy in Order: Conversational ordering, requirements, modifier pricing, proper routing of kitchen items, calculating the tax impact in detail and getting orders right every time in a complex restaurant environment can add more in restaurant profits. Even if one restaurant mistake is avoided each day with technology can add a large amount in the profits of the restaurant.

Order Taking Efficiency: If your restaurant is taking orders on phone, by using a technology using sound and optimized system of phone orders and delivery can add to your bottom lines if it is able to cut typical order time from 3 minutes to 30 seconds by removing the bottlenecks.

Inventory tracking: Inventory tracking in the restaurant is a chore, but with right kind of tools this job can be made more easier and fast. By choosing a software which let you and your restaurant managers to track the ingredients that are required in the restaurant can make a lot of difference on the profits of the restaurant.

Coupon Control: General purpose restaurants and pizzerias operate on a system of coupons, that are quite complex and many Toast POS systems Call 617-749-7139 cannot handle the same in an efficient manner. By using a technology which can keep a strict control on the coupons and discount can add lot to the restaurants profit. So always upgrade your technology as per the requirements of the restaurant and change the POS systems accordingly.

Improving Customer Engagement: It is no secret that the online ordering system have a more than 25% higher ticket average than the order placed by phones. A powerful suggesting technology of online order not only provide alternative to the customers but also keep them more satisfied also. So investing on these technologies can help restaurants earn more.

Turn New Customers to regular customers: It is very difficult to turn new customers into regular customers unless a proper reward programme tailored with your restaurant requirements is used. With technology it is possible to have a automated marketing reward programme can be tailored for your restaurant and make your restaurant to grow faster.

Labour Management Cost: Labour management in a restaurant is a nightmare for the restaurant owners and managers. With use of technology a POS System that helps to run the whole labour management system in a simple and less cumbersome and paperless way can make lot of difference on restaurant working with quick order taking and delivery by the staff. Your managers can spend more time with customers and less time in office managing the labour. Even if a restaurant manager can spend only one hour looking for the customers complaints and able to generate one or two more sales orders and earn about $20 more per day can add up to $ 600 per month in a restaurant profits per month and a huge amount in a years time .

So we see that investing little more on the technology and keeping it abreast with latest developments in the industry can add more number of years in your restaurant operations. The right technology can help you to innovate your restaurant operations, gain more customers and fans among the digitally savvy customers and make your restaurant earn more and stay in business for a quite longer period of time.

Little Gecko Technology Consultants are a leading consultants and contractor of restaurant technology in Boston. If your running your restaurant or thinking of opening a restaurant in Boston, and are in need of latest technology implements in your new restaurant or in your running restaurant, then you can contact us and we shall help you in providing latest restaurant technology solutions in your restaurant. We are the leading supplier of restaurant POS Machines, Installation of POS systems, wi-fi system, backup internet, routers, video and acoustic systems and also provide training in a restaurant POS system to employees. We are here to help you to grow your restaurant business and also let you run your restaurant operations smoothly and earn more and stay for the longer time in the restaurant business.

This Article "How You Can Save Your Restaurant with Right Restaurant Technology" is originally Posted Here. 

[journalistjunction]

How To Get Lallantopindia.XYZ Application? How To Use It?

How To Get Lallantopindia.XYZ Application? How To Use It?

An application for sharing news and information for various digital items is called Lallantopindia.XYZ. Additionally, they offer a space for stimulating conversations regarding politics, movie reviews, cricket, and general banter. App creator Saurabh Dwivedi founded it. The program was started in 2016. Also Read:- How To Toast POS Login? What Are The Benefits For Users of This App? How To…

[afrolesbikita]

News reports & important up-dates on POS Hardware & Point of Sale.

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nk

[afroavocadowitch]

News reports and useful up-dates on Point of Sale & POS Hardware.

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[afroavocadowitch]

News and interesting updates on POS and POS System Hardware.

“Blood In Blood Out” made them co-stars, but the San Antonio art community made Jesse Borrego and Adan Hernandez “family.” 

Adan Hernandez, the iconic artist behind the artwork of the classic 1993 film, died Saturday at his home in San Antonio. 

The West Side San Antonio native created the artwork that Borrego’s character, Cruz Candelaria, was supposed to have painted in the film. Hernandez also played a cameo role as Gilbert, a drug dealer in the movie. 

RELATED: Historic San Antonio labor leader Emma Tenayuca honored by Smithsonian

Borrego spoke of his friend, who he regarded more as “family,” on Monday. A cause of death was not disclosed. He called him “the real Cruzito” and reminisced on how the “cinematic feat” pulled off painting 50 art pieces for the movie in 30 days. 

Hernandez’s work centered on images and symbolism of the Chicano culture and experience.

“When you look beyond the ‘Blood In Blood Out’ collection to his work — oh my God, now you see why Cheech Marin has him in his collection, Taylor Hackford has him in his collection, the (Metropolitan Museum of Art) in New York has a couple of his pieces. If you’re smart, you have an Adan Hernandez, then you have something that’s going to live forever.”

READ MORE FROM MADALYN: San Antonio native Jesse Borrego starred in a 1996 film that is making an impactful comeback

Borrego said he plans on working with the local art community to build a memorial and foundation to continue sharing his friend’s work. 

“That’s the beauty of being an artist, that when you’re gone, your work is going to live on after you. In that case, I’m honored to share the screen with his work and with him. That vato loco’s art is going to live forever. Vato loco art is forever.”

The actor is encouraging the public to donate to a GoFundMe set up in Hernandez’s honor to pay for funeral expenses. The online fundraiser can be found here.

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[afrolesbikita]

Stories and interesting info on POS and POS System Hardware.

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As Texas braces for its notoriously scorching summer temperatures, the state House agreed to install air conditioning in dozens of uncooled prisons within seven years — but only if lawmakers set aside money for it.

On Thursday night, the Texas House initially passed a bill that would require all Texas lockups to be cooled over a seven-year span, capping costs at $300 million. But the state prison agency would only have to abide by the measure if lawmakers also agree to provide state or federal funds toward cooling costs. The bill finally cleared the House Friday on a 123-18 vote and was sent to the Senate.

“The reality is, in Texas, we are cooking people in prisons,” state Rep. Terry Canales, D-Edinburg, said on the floor when presenting his bill. “This is the right thing to do, it is the humane thing to do, and it’s something we should have done a long time ago.”

Currently, 70% of the state’s nearly 100 prison facilities do not have air conditioning in living areas. Some areas, like administrative offices and infirmaries, are air conditioned at all units.

In the last decade, at least 13 men have died of heat stroke while incarcerated in Texas prisons, according to court records and autopsy reports. Many more prisoners and guards are sickened each year in temperatures that often soar past 100 degrees, requiring intravenous fluids after reporting dizziness, nausea, heat rashes and muscle cramps.

For years, Texas Democrats have proposed measures to require state prisons to have cooling systems, as is the case in county jails. But legislators have balked at the cost, which the prison agency estimates would be more than $1 billion — though it has grossly overestimated air conditioning costs in the past.

In 2017, after a federal judge slammed the Texas Department of Criminal Justice for being “deliberately indifferent” to the potentially fatal risk of stifling temperatures inside a geriatric prison, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton argued that “taxpayers shouldn’t be on the hook for tens of millions of dollars to pay for expensive prison air conditioning systems.”

The state has, however, spent millions of dollars in ongoing legal battles while resisting installing the cooling units. The yearslong lawsuit at the geriatric Pack Unit cost the state more than $7.3 million in legal fees. TDCJ ultimately settled the suit in 2018 and agreed to cool the prison near College Station, which cost less than $4 million — a fraction of the prison agency’s original estimate of more than $20 million.

Dozens of other lawsuits against TDCJ over heat-related deaths and illnesses have cost the state millions more since the summer of 2011, when a heat wave in Texas killed at least 10 imprisoned men.

“The reality is what we’re doing is disgusting. It’s truly disheartening,” Canales told the House Corrections Committee last month. “I don’t think we have a money problem. I think we have a give-a-damn problem.”

This year, Canales filed House Bill 1971 to incrementally install air conditioning in Texas’ uncooled prisons at a maximum cost of $100 million per biennium. The bill would permit three two-year phases of installation, ending with all state prisons cooled below 85 degrees before 2029. TDCJ said the cost would be much higher, but Canales and other lawmakers have called the agency’s billion-dollar price tag “ridiculous.”

But even if Canales’ bill becomes law, state lawmakers would still need to separately set aside state dollars or seek federal funding for it. The funds couldn’t come from TDCJ’s existing budget. The bill instead relies on lawmakers in the future giving TDCJ state funds specifically for cooling or directing federal dollars toward the project.

Still, the bill’s passage on the House floor this session is the furthest a prison air conditioning bill has gone in the Texas Legislature. Eye-popping cost estimates often kept air conditioning proposals from progressing beyond the first legislative step of a committee hearing in previous years.

But this year, Canales’ bill was unanimously voted out of the House Corrections Committee and was approved on a voice vote without opposition by the full chamber Thursday night. Other bills similar to previous proposals that did not include a staggered implementation failed to move forward. State Rep. Andrew Murr, the committee chair, said Thursday that Canales’ phased approach with specific budgeting allowed for success in his committee.

“This legislation takes steps to solve an infrastructure issue that has faced our correctional institutions for decades,” the Junction Republican said in an email.

At the bill’s committee hearing last month, Murr also questioned TDCJ about the high costs of litigation the state continues to face by continuing to avoid cooling its prisons, but prison officials did not provide specific numbers.

Texas has spent about $6.4 million legally representing TDCJ alone in prison heat litigation since 2011, according to billing records from the Texas Attorney General’s Office. And the state shelled out about $10 million more in settlement expenses in the last few years, including prisoners’ attorney fees and payouts to families in wrongful death lawsuits for prisoners who died of heat stroke.

In settling the high-profile heat lawsuit at the Pack Unit, TDCJ agreed in 2018 to pay $4.5 million to the plaintiffs’ attorneys. In 2019, the Texas legislature signed off on $1.8 million in payments to settle wrongful death lawsuits in the heat-related deaths of three prisoners in 2011 and 2012.

And the state agreed to pay another $3 million in settlement payouts connected to five other heat-related deaths that occurred in those years, according to records obtained by Texas Prisons Air-Conditioning Advocates and shared with The Texas Tribune. Plus, a man who sued over heat-related illness in prison after he was released received a $90,000 settlement.

Despite the continued legal costs, the advertised billion-dollar investment to cool prisons is not an easy sell, even with bipartisan skepticism of TDCJ’s estimate. In 2019, a Republican on the House Corrections Committee suggested an independent cost study since TDCJ had a history of inflated costs, but the prison agency still was the sole source of the cost estimate officially attached to bills this year.

In lieu of installing air conditioning, the costly lawsuits moved TDCJ to implement new heat safety protocols in 2018 — like more personal fans and a steady supply of ice water — in all of its units. Prison officials have argued such heat mitigation efforts work to keep prisoners safe, even if they may still be uncomfortable. Officials claimed that there were no heat-related deaths or major illnesses since the change of protocols.

But prisoners often say heat policies are followed inconsistently, and they have previously broken windows for air flow or flooded their cells to lie in water. Months after the Pack lawsuit was settled, a medical examiner ruled that a 54-year-old man at the Michael Unit died from environmental hyperthermia — often referred to as fatal heat stroke.

In 2019, TDCJ officials contested the cause of death, stating that the autopsy report was preliminary and the prisoner had been housed in an air conditioned cell. The state death report still lists hyperthermia as the cause of death, however. A TDCJ spokesperson said Thursday the agency still refuted the finding.

Carlee Purdum, an assistant research professor for the Hazard Reduction and Recovery Center at Texas A&M University, said without systemwide cooling, the prison agency won’t solve safety and medical problems associated with heat. Prison populations, her area of expertise, tend to be more vulnerable than people in the free world, since prisoners are often older and have more medical ailments that can be exacerbated by heat, she said.

“Investing in hazard mitigation saves so much money in the long term,” she said. “We’re expecting to see about a tripling of days in Texas that are over 100 degrees Fahrenheit, and this issue is only going to get worse … and more costly.”

For Amite Dominick, with Texas Prisons Air-Conditioning Advocates, the cost of air conditioning should be considered a preventive medical cost. But more important than the money, she said, are the people who get sick and die from the conditions the state holds them in.

“These people are being tortured,” she said. “We don’t treat animals like this, why on earth would we treat human beings like this?”

Disclosure: Texas A&M University has been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune’s journalism. Find a complete list of them here.

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[afrolesbikita]

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The Texas House has advanced legislation that would require K-12 school districts and open-enrollment charter schools to teach “informed American patriotism” through the founding documents of the U.S. starting in the 2021-22 school year.

The House passed House Bill 4509, by state Rep. Greg Bonnen, R-Friendswood, by a voice vote Thursday afternoon. It will need one more vote before it can be sent to the Texas Senate, which has already approved the similar Senate Bill 2026, authored by state Sen. Larry Taylor, R-Friendswood.

HB 4509 would, among other things, mandate that students study documents such as the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Federalist Papers to promote understanding of the “fundamental moral principles” of the country.

Before voting on the bill Thursday, the House adopted an amendment proposed by Bonnen to include speeches by Frederick Douglass and Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have A Dream” speech as part of the required texts mentioned in the bill. That came after criticism that the bill initially focused on writings by white historical figures.

At a House Public Education Committee hearing last month, Bonnen said documents like the Constitution and Declaration of Independence captured “firsthand struggles, triumphs, challenges and beliefs” upon which America was founded.

“To ensure Texas students gain access to receive exposure to these founding documents, we must ensure these primary historic sources are incorporated into the state education curriculum across all grade levels,” he said last month.

But Maggie Stern, a youth civic engagement and education coordinator at Children’s Defense Fund, said at last month’s hearing that the curriculum should also highlight the contributions of women; Black, Native, Latino and Asian people; and other people of color in addition to the white Founding Fathers.

“In a state with a growing multiracial youth population, it’s particularly vital that this education is inclusive and relevant to all students,” Stern said. “Comprehensive civic education requires more than just memorizing facts without context or application. Civic knowledge is important.”

The approval of HB 4509 came only a few days after the Texas House gave final approval to House Bill 3979 amid pushback from education, business and community groups and multiple proposed amendments from Democrats. HB 3979 would limit what public school students can be taught about the United States’ history of racism and how racism has shaped systems within the nation. That includes limits on critical race theory. And critics of HB 3979 said some of its provisions would discourage students’ civic engagement.

While HB 3979 focuses on what teachers cannot teach, HB 4509 outlines what concepts must be taught, such as “the structure, function, and processes of government institutions.” The bill also lists the instructional materials students will be required to learn from, including the first Lincoln-Douglas debates and excerpts from Alexis de Tocqueville ’s “Democracy in America.”

Bonnen said at last month’s hearing that only 23% of Texans under age 45 can pass the civics test from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services while 90% of immigrants can pass the test. He said founding documents make up the “historical truths surrounding America’s birth,” and they need to be incorporated into K-12 education.

The proposal comes after Gov. Greg Abbott asked lawmakers to prioritize expanding civics education in Texas during the 2021 session. Republican state legislators have proposed multiple bills to modify what children are taught in schools, including limiting the teaching of critical race theory and a greater emphasis on the country’s founding documents.

Thomas Lindsay, distinguished senior fellow of higher education and constitutional studies at the conservative-leaning Texas Public Policy Foundation, testified last month that the bill would lead to more-informed voting.

“We’ve got a lot of action and we’ve got a lot of passion,” Lindsay said. “We need thinkers. Think first. Learn first. Understand the U.S. Constitution first, and then you will see the stakes involved and then you will become involved in an informed way.”

Michael Baumgartner is a representative of Civics 4 Y’all, a student-led advocacy group at St. Edward’s University working to provide young Texans with civic engagement opportunities. He said the founding documents are vital to learn, but civics education should also promote active citizenship and student activities outside of the classroom.

“Civics education should be about learning the history of our great nation and providing young citizens a place to discuss policy problems while being taught efficient ways to engage in the process of solving them,” Baumgartner said.

Disclosure: St. Edward’s University and the Texas Public Policy Foundation have been financial supporters of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune’s journalism. Find a complete list of them here.

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