Traffic Camera Debate (Final Draft)

The Traffic Camera Debate

With a new session of the state legislature beginning soon, traffic cameras will be a hot topic for discussion. Bills are being introduced in both the House and Senate to decide if cities should be allowed to install traffic cameras. This issue has divided Iowans across the state into two groups: those who support the traffic cameras and those who are against them.

Supporters of traffic cameras feel safety is the most important issue concerning the use of these cameras. They often cite a large amount of factual data to back up their arguments on allowing traffic cameras in the state. The former Cedar Rapids Chief of Police, Greg Graham, sent information to the city council on how the red light cameras have impacted traffic since they were implemented. According to the data, traffic crashes in Cedar Rapids have decreased 22% overall, with crashes in the downtown area of I-380 reduced by 75% and declining 82% through the S-curves. City wide, crash injuries are down 19% and fatalities have fallen by 80%. Graham also stated there was an average of two fatalities per year on the downtown curves but since the city installed the cameras two years ago, there has not been a fatality (Smith). These results do not just pertain to Cedar Rapids but other communities where studies have seen similar results. A 2011 study conducted by the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety found that large cities with traffic cameras have reduced their crash rate by an average of 24 percent. These same cities have also seen a reduction of crashes at intersections where no camera is present indicating a change in driver behavior ("Q&A: Red Light Cameras.").  

Backers of the cameras also mention that cameras not only reduce traffic problems but they also free up more officers to patrol city neighborhoods. Only one officer is needed to verify the camera tickets whereas several officers would be required to monitor the same intersections for traffic violations. In Cedar Rapids, Graham said that since officers have more free time to check up on neighborhoods, violent crime is down two percent and property crime is down four percent (Smith).

On the other hand, there is a group of Iowans that feel traffic cameras are one more step towards a “big brother is watching” attitude that is invading our society. Supporters of the ban are against this government intrusion in our lives and view it as unconstitutional.  For example, in 2008, Iowa Supreme Court Justice David Wiggins, argued the cameras were unconstitutional because there was not a way for traffic laws to be enforced uniformly. He stated that “a motorist who gets 5 tickets from speed cameras in Davenport is still allowed to drive, even though it is a state policy to suspend a license after three moving violations in 12 months”. Traffic camera tickets are considered civil violations and not moving violations. Someone ticketed by a police officer for running a red light would receive a moving violation whereas that same person if ticketed by the red light camera would have a clean record. Another argument by those opposing the cameras is how the tickets are issued to the car and not to the driver. If you were to allow someone else to drive your car and they were caught by the camera, the owner of the car is legally responsible for the ticket and not the person who was driving at that time (Tecklenburg).

Supporters of the ban feel that the traffic cameras are more for money generating purposes than for safety. They fear misuse will occur when communities become reliant on the revenue generated by the cameras. The devices do have the potential to generate a large amount of revenue. For example in Cedar Rapids in the first year after installation the cameras made 2.3 million dollars (Tecklenburg).

The use of traffic cameras is an issue that affects us all. Five cities in Iowa already have the cameras in place and at least two more (Iowa City and Dubuque) are considering the installation of them. The cameras are also becoming more popular across the country with 24 states allowing their use ("States Using…”). Supporters cite the safety aspect of the cameras, whereas the opposition argues the constitutionality of them. By the end of the legislature session we will see who comes out on top.

"Red"

Dekker, Ted. Red. Nashville: WestBow, 2004. Print. (pg. 500/500)

“Red” is the second book out of the “Circle” series written by Ted Dekker. Like the first book Black, Red is also a science-fiction book which again is different from what I normally read. Since the first book “Black” let me wondering what’s going to happen to booth of the worlds, I had to check this book out right away or else I might have gone crazy with the questions building up inside of me.

With the first book I was really confused by the first couple of chapters but this was not a problem with the second book “Red”. In the beginning they kind of did a summary of what happen so were not confused if you forgot, which I don’t know how you could forget. Over all, this book was a lot easier to read than the first one which could probably be because I got use to the switching back and forth between the two different worlds that the main character, Thomas, lives in.

Like the first book “Black” this book didn’t have too many difficult words but it is an adult fiction book so it isn’t as easy to read as a young adult book.

I enjoyed reading “Red” just as much as the first book of the series. I kept on wanting to read more and find out what happens to the characters as you progress through the story. It seemed that whenever something exciting happen in one world they would switch to the imaginary one. This made me mad because then I would have to read more until I found out what happened in the real world but I did enjoy that. I know have only one more book, which is what I am reading now, to get through for all my questions to be answered.  I would recommend this book to anybody but only if you read the first book of the series or else I wouldn’t make sense.  

Valentines Day

Today is February 14, anything special on that day? Oh yes, it’s Valentine’s Day!



This holiday is a questionable one because many people have a love-hate relationship with this holiday. The meaning of the Valentine’s Day seems to change from when you were little to when now as a teenager.



I remember in elementary school we would have a Valentine’s Day party and bring a valentine and a piece of candy for each member in the class. Then we would decorate a paper bag creating a “mailbox” for the valentines to be put in. After we were done decorating we would pass out our valentines by putting them in the “mailboxes” we just made. Then once everybody was done passing out, we would all go back to our desk and dump out our valentines to see what kind of valentines kids passed out and what came with them (meaning how good was the treat or was it a lame tattoo). The rest of the day we would play games since we were all so hyped up on sugar.



Now that I am in high school, I hear people say they hate Valentine’s Day because they don’t have a valentine and they wear black instead of pink. Just because you don’t have a “special someone” doesn’t mean that you can’t receive chocolate or enjoy the holiday. Why can’t you remember back to how you enjoyed the Valentine’s Day parties in elementary school, where you would pass out valentines to your friends? Why don’t you give valentines to your friends like in elementary school, you could thank them for being such a great friend.  I understand that it is a little depressing to see people receive flowers, chocolate and stuffed animals from their girlfriend or boyfriend but that should not make you hate the holiday.



Remember Valentine’s Day is a day where you can wear pinks and reds and eat lots and lots of chocolate. What’s not to like about that?

Only in Chicago

When I was about 11 years old my family and I went on a vacation to Chicago. Then a couple of years later we visited the city again for our summer vacation and enjoyed the trip just as much as we did the first time around. I will never forget the first time I look at the giant sky scrapers, thousands of people walking and the subway rides.



Only in Chicago did I ride the subway for the first time. The subway had a distinctive smell to it, smells from the city’s streets mixing with body odors coming and going all day long. It was crowded, with people in business suits on their phones to a college student with a guitar to a homeless man sitting on a bench. Once on the train, the rhythm of the car moving put many people to sleep but they still manage to wake up for their stop. Like they ridden it so many times their bodies were a custom to waking up at that time. Not everyone slept though, I remember one time a guy sat down next to me and brought out a piece of paper and started sketching the people on the bus. Stop after stop after stop as the doors open and close with the beep it’s always the same, quickly get in and quickly get out but it never gets old.



Only in Chicago did I see my first real skyscrapers. Looking up in the sky, they seem to go on forever. Building after building, each one seems to get taller and taller. Glass windows, circle buildings, brick walls, modern styles are the types of buildings you can see when walk down the streets of Chicago. Every building you passed was tall but yet different; ranging in the style and architecture that the constructor decided to go with.



Only in Chicago did I see so many people in one place going in all different directions. The people you pass on the street all have different personalities, you never see the same person again. Ranging from, business men and women caring a brief case walking as quickly as they can to work or to catch a bus, to a homeless person wandering the streets.





Ever since I was little I wanted to visit a big city because there is a different atmosphere than a regular town. Chicago was and still is the only big city that I have been too but I wish I could visit more.

Red Light Cameras

With a new session of the state legislature starting up soon, traffic cameras may be a hot topic for discussion. The legislature may decide if red light cameras should be allowed or not with bills being introduced in both the House and Senate. Across the state this issue has divided Iowans into two groups: those who support the traffic cameras and those who are against them.

Those who support the red light cameras have a large amount of factual data to back up their arguments on allowing red light cameras in the state. The former police chief in Cedar Rapids, Greg Graham, left behind data at the city hall on how the red light cameras have impacted traffic since they have been activated. According to the data, traffic crashes in Cedar Rapids are down 22 percent, crashes around the downtown on I-380 are down 75 percent and through the S-curves crashes are down 82 percent. Injuries and fatalities from a crash are also down 19 percent and 80 percent. Graham also said that there was an average of 2 fatalities per a year on the downtown curves but since the city installed the cameras two years ago there has not been a fatality. Not only have the cameras reduced traffic problems but they have also freed up more officers to patrol city neighborhoods. Graham said that since officers have more free time to check up on neighborhoods, violent crime is down 2 percent and property crime is down 4 percent.

On the opposite side, there is a group of Iowans that are against red light cameras on our streets. Many people in this group feel that the red light cameras are more for money generating purposes than for safety. They fear misuse will occur when communities become reliant on the revenue generated by the cameras. There are also arguments as to whether the use of the cameras is constitutional. For example in 2008 Justice David Wiggins, argued that the cameras were unconstitutional because there wasn’t a way for traffic laws to be enforced uniformly. He stated that “a motorist who gets 5 tickets from speed cameras in Davenport is still allowed to drive, even though it is a state policy to suspend a license after three moving violations in 12 months”. Red light camera tickets are considered civil violations and not moving violations. Someone ticketed by a police officer for running a red light would receive a moving violation whereas that same person if ticketed by the red light camera would have a clean record.  Another argument by those opposing the cameras is that the tickets are issued to the car and not to the driver. If you were to allow someone else to drive your car and they were caught by the camera the owner of the car is legally responsible for the ticket and not the person who was driving at that time. Many also believe that the cameras are one more step toward a “big brother is watching” attitude that is invading our society.

How Chocolate is Created

After reading an article in the Cedar Rapids Gazette about how Hawaii is the only place in the world to grow cocoa beans. In fact they are the only place where ingredients for coffee, tea, and cocoa are made because of their ideal climate and location of the island to the equator. I then became interested in how they make this delicious treat called chocolate that we crave so much.

After doing some research I found out that it can take up to several days to get the raw ingredients for chocolate candies. Cocoa beans come from a cocoa tree which can produce large pods (up to 10 inches long) and contain about 40 cocoa beans in each pod. After picking the beans they are fermented, dried in the sun and then roasted. After they are roasted, the “meat” part of the bean is removed and grounded to create liquid called chocolate liquor.

Once the chocolate liquor is cooled it forms a solid, which is what you would find in stores as baking chocolate. The chocolate liquor can be furthered processed by removing the fat and being pressed to make cocoa powder. The fat that is then removed from the liquor is cocoa butter which can be used in a variety of things like chocolate, soaps, cosmetics and tanning.

Once the raw ingredients are made, the process for making chocolate candies begins. The main ingredients in chocolate candies are cocoa powder, cocoa butter, sugar, vanilla and milk. To get different flavors of chocolate depends on the amount of each ingredient put in. The mixture is then placed in a machine were the ingredients are blended together and smoothed out which can take from several hours to days. The chocolate is then slowly heated and cooled which is called “tempering”. After tempering the chocolate is ready to be devoured.

It’s unbelievable how that little piece of chocolate that will leave your hand in a second takes up to several days to be made.