Evening, the sky is glowing
underneath us the grass is slowing down
on its way up to the sun.
Lying around devoting
time to watching the stars exploding
on into space one by one.
Takes me to a distant place and time
this is not the first time I have pined.
Puts me in a distant state of mind,
this is not the first time I have pined,
I pine away.
I love the older people,
they seem to live in a world of simple life
where simple pleasures still belong.
Years past, they contemplated
how the world was less complicated
years before they came along.
Takes me to a distant place and time
this is not the first time I have pined.
Puts me in a distant state of mind,
this is not the first time I have pined,
I pine after my home, the yard
the olden days, the faraway
weird star that rained over it all.
Lying around devoting
time to watching the stars exploding
on into space one by one.
Takes me to a distant place and time
this is not the first time I have pined.
Puts me in a distant state of mind,
this is not the first time I have pined.
Friday, December 31, 2010
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Green Tomato Holiday Cake. If you grow tomatoes and have ones left over that did not finish ripening during the season, get them picked before the
hard freeze. Use in a recipe like this. I call it Holiday because of the green and I add dried cherries (a little red), and there is already a Jesus cake. It's a flexible recipe, very thick, and there are a number out there to pick from. I substitute applesauce for the butter and cut the sugar. Use your own choice of dry sweetners. Moist spice cakey.
There is none left after yesterday's brunch, so no picture of it this time.
You could make red tomato cake too.
Or fried green tomato and shrimp remoulade po boys, recipe. If you can't or do not wish to eat shellfish, then substitue something else, like avacado.
There is none left after yesterday's brunch, so no picture of it this time.
You could make red tomato cake too.
Or fried green tomato and shrimp remoulade po boys, recipe. If you can't or do not wish to eat shellfish, then substitue something else, like avacado.
Or can up some green tomato chutney.
mobile: "Twitter is over capacity. Please wait a moment and try again. For more information, check out Twitter Status" (Richardson, Texas, blog)
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Thursday, December 23, 2010
Gasland. Several things have reminded me about this film. I had to travel to far west Texas and the closest/southeast part of New Mexico and in the
gasfields (nothing having to do with any film). And, whew.... what an eye opener about what is going on about now in the so called "middle of nowhere." (middle of yonder, is what we call it). Don't get me wrong, I've been around oil towns and rendering plants. Dumps and sulfer wells. Changing adult and baby diapers. I'm just not the squeamish type. Blood and guts, no problem (if not unavoidable, as far as handling the immediate medical need part of it). So, I was down in the Gulf Coast (LA to Florida) about a month ago and all but like Grand I. is clearing up, that can be seen. Yes, some tar balls, some not pleasant smells here and there. Yeah, some energy towns stink. (Fort Stockton as an example in Texas). Pig towns stink. Poverty places are a wreck. Thug apartments, are thuggy. Et cetera. I know we collectively do some not too pleasant things to hang. And then some (don't forget Picher, ok) (or drilling mud spread about). And sometimes nature does too.
But holy toxic vomit and gas masks. What's going on is way more than gas well burn off and old school gas well fracking.
I wasn't looking to see any of this or seeking it.
I can see (did see, smell, taste, hear, feel, get sick) more than ever why the New Mexico people had such a fit when more of the gas (and oil) drilling was about to happen in what is considered a more sensitive area to the west. We need energy. But have mercy. Not a free for all, with what appears to be little to no oversight, record profit of the energy companies at the expense of people's homes, land, other industry, livestock, and water.
I'm all for people being excited about the future and getting things done, and we are human and pollute, but the details and the big picture have to be considered together. It's like certain things have taken too many steps backward. It took la smog and the river catching on fire at one point in history to get a little attention. Oil spills. Blow ups. Things happen. But invariably it seems a very, very short time after major bad things happen, safety measures, if they were tightened or put into place, go slip slidding away (too much or in the wrong places).
I feel like I don't even need to see Gasland now, but will.
They call the once poor landowners "shale-ionaires."
If you watch only one of the following clips, watch all of the second one, but watch them when you get a chance.
Gasland trailer (1 min)
Interesting interview with film maker: 11 mins
60 minutes did a piece on fracking (13 mins)
Barnett Shale saltwater disposal (1 minute)
Cleburne: earthquakes, gas money/taxes, lobbying, etc. (6 mins)
Monday, December 20, 2010
To tout the development plan at 75 and Renner as sustainable, not to mention, a traffic reducer for the location, (Richardson, Texas)
as it is currently proposed, is intellectually dishonest. It is not building trust to try to convince people of these things.
It will be approved and it will be a less than stellar version, right out of the gate, of what it could be if it were truly planned to be sustainable and really meant to be a wonderful "town center" and things were ready for it to succeed.
The majority of people like, even love, excitement and prestige, not to mention convenience, and also wealth. There's nothing wrong with that. It's just not free. Neither is decay nor the dreaded "creeping blight."
I don't feel good about subsidizing other people's profit dreams to such a large extent these days.
I do hope that once things get cooking up at the locale that it offers a real "sense of place" (the catch phrase of the "new urbanists" who are not all that new). It will be a destination and draw a lot of people who don't live there if it is built like the models mentioned, for a while. (The highway was jammed, the frontage roads were jammed, and the streets were jammed up Saturday night outside of one of those "places." I hope that means the economy is pulling upward more than it means bad town planning.) I'm not being mean, but the models mentioned are not that sustainable and they aren't going to be long lived "places" much more than any mall or any other massive apartment complex is.
I hope it is a wonderful place to live for those who live there. I hope the apartments are not built as cheaply as most all of the ones that have preceded it over the last ten years.
I hope it's a wonderful place to shop and that it offers a place for people to buy groceries for the times they do not or can't eat out, like when they get tired of the four major restaurants, or ten or more when all the other density goes in on the other tracts, if something other than apartments comes as it is being sold. And I hope that it has hotel space for relatives to stay for the holidays and for convention events and parties.
And I hope a lot of jobs come there for the apartment dwellers even if it is after the fact and even if most people who live there do not work there (more people than jobs). And whether people who work there can afford to live there or not.
For the ones who do not want to use a vehicle or give up private transportation, I hope there is improved, viable travel options, like real bus service and rail and other things, that gets them where they need to go. Since this is TOD, there won't be as much parking if the TOD theory is correct. Parking should not be a problem and if it is, you will need to give up your driving, and vehicles.
As you can tell, I am hopeful, but skeptical and I think I have very good reason to be.
I hope that people are not surprised when the Renner (beautiful) parkway toward the east is made into more lanes, especially the bridge over Rowlett Creek (the bond paid report will confirm that it must be made wider, more lanes) and that people know that grade separations are going to come on line soon in the area, like at Plano at Greenville, and Plano Rd at Renner Rd. And they shouldn't be surprised when what they thought was the nature area across the road is built upon because the north area is private land, not city park land, and even if it was park land it doesn't mean it's off limits or anything, it wasn't.
I hope our taxes do not go up more to support it all because the truth is this "place" won't "pay for itself."
If you haven't noticed, our taxes never go down, they are outstripping inflation and interest, when all these developer dreams come to town and they collect subsidies to boot. One reason is lack of planning by and for residents, lack of care, the developers make the sale, set up to make the profit, spread it around to just the right person or people to convince and sell it to well-meaning and enlightened people to be completely for it and not to ask too many questions and not to give too many answers. But most developers and people who do not live by it, aren't that interested in sense of community in the location, here today, gone tomorrow. Those not right next to a development living in Richardson just want some shopping one to three miles closer. To them trade off for that is worth it, to others it is not.
The money we gave and give to roads have not gone to roads, such as when the local road maintenance prior allotment was used to pay for the Eisemann Center dream debt service when things did not pan out as dreamed and sold and how the money sent to the state for transportation has not been used fully for transportation for the majority of people (but for perhaps special friends).
The crime doesn't go down when dense apartments move into an area. Traffic doesn't reduce in the area. Air pollution doesn't get better. Education levels do not go up and the dropout rate doesn't decrease. Local schools don't seem to get better because of dense apartments even though the schools get more money with increased head count (so far). The divorce rate doesn't go down (except there are less marriages and more single household family situations). The neighborhood services budget for apartments doesn't decrease and the fee doesn't cover the increase. Apartments are not any more dream-like than anything else.
Well managed apartments have a place in most communities. We need apartments, for transitional use, for corporate use, for single lifestyle use, for empty nesters who want an apartment, for families that decide it is healthier to split than stay in a situation, and some rights have been given for apartments, etc. that should be accepted. Apartments are not evil. It is what comes with poorly thought out plans that could be called that.
Richardson is growing more apartment-heavy. After a point, it doesn't seem like a high proportion of apartments adds to sense of place or community that is good unless elements are in place to make it work and have that "sense of place" that urban planners, architects, politicians, developers and environmentalists are seeking to create by building high density in suburbs.
And public-private partnerships are often much more expensive to taxpayers in the long run when it comes to supporting high density utensils than if taxpayers would just pay for them (but can't because they are being jacked up for everything else and everyone else that they shouldn't have to be paying for, like other people's dreams and utensils and planning honchos' and politicians' steak dinners and retreats, and they do not take public transportation to their retreats).
Architects, urban planners and developers have dreams, even nostalgic dreams. Businesses want the traffic and pool of employees to tap as needed and pay less. I do wonder why people who do not share the dream have to subsidize their dreams at the expense of their own dreams, to such an extent. It is becoming too much.
So build this dreamed "sense of place." It is going to be "approved" anyway, but please don't just slap it in there with a mass of apartments hoping the rest will follow. Answer the questions that are being asked. Security and amenities are expensive, don't expect everyone else to pay for it, the developers who will make a tremendous profit need to pony up. There is still great profit if done well. Inexperience in development and finance is the major problem with another struggling development in town as much as anything.
Use form based, but do it right and not to the point of just apartments and little else. Expect to deal with noise issues more with mixed use (the updated ordinance isn't updated enough), deliveries, garbage, recycling, traffic, recreation, security/crime, air pollution and other issues that are made more challenging with higher density 24/7. Be honest with the sales pitch. Suburbanites should know that things are not going to be exactly the same...this includes good and bad things. And taxes will go up faster than inflation and interest in order to support the more dense dream as it is structured. Any local gain seems to always be spent and then some lately.
You are not going to stop this thing from being built, and the adjacent density around it that is coming, but you can make it marginally better by not nodding or flying off the handle, but by telling representatives that you helped elect and by telling the developers they need to pay attention and try to get it right. Trust me, they do not have it right as it stands. Will they listen?
The past says it is highly doubtful that this particular set will unless it is at a minimum of political placating. There's no need to. They count on, or have counted on, the anti's cutting off their own noses and the noses of people who try to be reasonable and listen so all we are left with is cagey, non forthright, politician "leaders" who are leading the majority exactly wherever they want the majority to go whether it is the right path or not and some of them have their own back stories and private goals they are more interested in.
With concerned citizens, the politicians even pretend to blame the developers who they say they have no control over to get them to do certain beneficial things, when that's just not true. But naive people believe it and repeat it, not holding them accountable and pointing fingers at only developers and commissions under the politicians. The anti's turn on each other and favor the smooth tongue politicians who won't level with them and the top politicians are free to move about the cabin.
When the phrase kept being used, "Richardson is built out," the politicians knew this was not true but they didn't want to correct the phrase and tell you the score. Richardson is not built out. The population will grow much more. I would say it will grow double in the next forty years, for one, because some guys want it to, well beyond how it would normally grow. Richardson will take on more than it's usual or proportional share of population growth. Richardson is a pro-growth city with pro-population, pro density string pullers and proteges. People complain that Plano is getting people there that should be in Richardson, desiring a larger and larger population. Whatever it takes.
Not to be rude, but some people are about twenty years, if not one year, too late to be noticing these things but they keep doing the same thing and promoting the same slippery politicians, attacking others on behalf of the great politicians who should not agree to private goals or blaming everyone but the ones they put in charge at the very top, and getting results they claim they do not want, like higher taxes, more debt, more traffic, less nature preserve, water waste. Richardson doesn't like honest politicians. Anti's and RC'ers don't want to hear what they don't want to hear. It's all a dream. Richardson wants high density. It obviously doesn't want mass transit to serve the masses to the extent it should but it wants to spend millions and millions (half of Richardson's part of sales tax collections) in Richardson each year to say it does (or to not do it). If you want to live in the burbs, go somewhere else, alright?
It will be approved and it will be a less than stellar version, right out of the gate, of what it could be if it were truly planned to be sustainable and really meant to be a wonderful "town center" and things were ready for it to succeed.
The majority of people like, even love, excitement and prestige, not to mention convenience, and also wealth. There's nothing wrong with that. It's just not free. Neither is decay nor the dreaded "creeping blight."
I don't feel good about subsidizing other people's profit dreams to such a large extent these days.
I do hope that once things get cooking up at the locale that it offers a real "sense of place" (the catch phrase of the "new urbanists" who are not all that new). It will be a destination and draw a lot of people who don't live there if it is built like the models mentioned, for a while. (The highway was jammed, the frontage roads were jammed, and the streets were jammed up Saturday night outside of one of those "places." I hope that means the economy is pulling upward more than it means bad town planning.) I'm not being mean, but the models mentioned are not that sustainable and they aren't going to be long lived "places" much more than any mall or any other massive apartment complex is.
I hope it is a wonderful place to live for those who live there. I hope the apartments are not built as cheaply as most all of the ones that have preceded it over the last ten years.
I hope it's a wonderful place to shop and that it offers a place for people to buy groceries for the times they do not or can't eat out, like when they get tired of the four major restaurants, or ten or more when all the other density goes in on the other tracts, if something other than apartments comes as it is being sold. And I hope that it has hotel space for relatives to stay for the holidays and for convention events and parties.
And I hope a lot of jobs come there for the apartment dwellers even if it is after the fact and even if most people who live there do not work there (more people than jobs). And whether people who work there can afford to live there or not.
For the ones who do not want to use a vehicle or give up private transportation, I hope there is improved, viable travel options, like real bus service and rail and other things, that gets them where they need to go. Since this is TOD, there won't be as much parking if the TOD theory is correct. Parking should not be a problem and if it is, you will need to give up your driving, and vehicles.
As you can tell, I am hopeful, but skeptical and I think I have very good reason to be.
I hope that people are not surprised when the Renner (beautiful) parkway toward the east is made into more lanes, especially the bridge over Rowlett Creek (the bond paid report will confirm that it must be made wider, more lanes) and that people know that grade separations are going to come on line soon in the area, like at Plano at Greenville, and Plano Rd at Renner Rd. And they shouldn't be surprised when what they thought was the nature area across the road is built upon because the north area is private land, not city park land, and even if it was park land it doesn't mean it's off limits or anything, it wasn't.
I hope our taxes do not go up more to support it all because the truth is this "place" won't "pay for itself."
If you haven't noticed, our taxes never go down, they are outstripping inflation and interest, when all these developer dreams come to town and they collect subsidies to boot. One reason is lack of planning by and for residents, lack of care, the developers make the sale, set up to make the profit, spread it around to just the right person or people to convince and sell it to well-meaning and enlightened people to be completely for it and not to ask too many questions and not to give too many answers. But most developers and people who do not live by it, aren't that interested in sense of community in the location, here today, gone tomorrow. Those not right next to a development living in Richardson just want some shopping one to three miles closer. To them trade off for that is worth it, to others it is not.
The money we gave and give to roads have not gone to roads, such as when the local road maintenance prior allotment was used to pay for the Eisemann Center dream debt service when things did not pan out as dreamed and sold and how the money sent to the state for transportation has not been used fully for transportation for the majority of people (but for perhaps special friends).
The crime doesn't go down when dense apartments move into an area. Traffic doesn't reduce in the area. Air pollution doesn't get better. Education levels do not go up and the dropout rate doesn't decrease. Local schools don't seem to get better because of dense apartments even though the schools get more money with increased head count (so far). The divorce rate doesn't go down (except there are less marriages and more single household family situations). The neighborhood services budget for apartments doesn't decrease and the fee doesn't cover the increase. Apartments are not any more dream-like than anything else.
Well managed apartments have a place in most communities. We need apartments, for transitional use, for corporate use, for single lifestyle use, for empty nesters who want an apartment, for families that decide it is healthier to split than stay in a situation, and some rights have been given for apartments, etc. that should be accepted. Apartments are not evil. It is what comes with poorly thought out plans that could be called that.
Richardson is growing more apartment-heavy. After a point, it doesn't seem like a high proportion of apartments adds to sense of place or community that is good unless elements are in place to make it work and have that "sense of place" that urban planners, architects, politicians, developers and environmentalists are seeking to create by building high density in suburbs.
And public-private partnerships are often much more expensive to taxpayers in the long run when it comes to supporting high density utensils than if taxpayers would just pay for them (but can't because they are being jacked up for everything else and everyone else that they shouldn't have to be paying for, like other people's dreams and utensils and planning honchos' and politicians' steak dinners and retreats, and they do not take public transportation to their retreats).
Architects, urban planners and developers have dreams, even nostalgic dreams. Businesses want the traffic and pool of employees to tap as needed and pay less. I do wonder why people who do not share the dream have to subsidize their dreams at the expense of their own dreams, to such an extent. It is becoming too much.
So build this dreamed "sense of place." It is going to be "approved" anyway, but please don't just slap it in there with a mass of apartments hoping the rest will follow. Answer the questions that are being asked. Security and amenities are expensive, don't expect everyone else to pay for it, the developers who will make a tremendous profit need to pony up. There is still great profit if done well. Inexperience in development and finance is the major problem with another struggling development in town as much as anything.
Use form based, but do it right and not to the point of just apartments and little else. Expect to deal with noise issues more with mixed use (the updated ordinance isn't updated enough), deliveries, garbage, recycling, traffic, recreation, security/crime, air pollution and other issues that are made more challenging with higher density 24/7. Be honest with the sales pitch. Suburbanites should know that things are not going to be exactly the same...this includes good and bad things. And taxes will go up faster than inflation and interest in order to support the more dense dream as it is structured. Any local gain seems to always be spent and then some lately.
You are not going to stop this thing from being built, and the adjacent density around it that is coming, but you can make it marginally better by not nodding or flying off the handle, but by telling representatives that you helped elect and by telling the developers they need to pay attention and try to get it right. Trust me, they do not have it right as it stands. Will they listen?
The past says it is highly doubtful that this particular set will unless it is at a minimum of political placating. There's no need to. They count on, or have counted on, the anti's cutting off their own noses and the noses of people who try to be reasonable and listen so all we are left with is cagey, non forthright, politician "leaders" who are leading the majority exactly wherever they want the majority to go whether it is the right path or not and some of them have their own back stories and private goals they are more interested in.
With concerned citizens, the politicians even pretend to blame the developers who they say they have no control over to get them to do certain beneficial things, when that's just not true. But naive people believe it and repeat it, not holding them accountable and pointing fingers at only developers and commissions under the politicians. The anti's turn on each other and favor the smooth tongue politicians who won't level with them and the top politicians are free to move about the cabin.
When the phrase kept being used, "Richardson is built out," the politicians knew this was not true but they didn't want to correct the phrase and tell you the score. Richardson is not built out. The population will grow much more. I would say it will grow double in the next forty years, for one, because some guys want it to, well beyond how it would normally grow. Richardson will take on more than it's usual or proportional share of population growth. Richardson is a pro-growth city with pro-population, pro density string pullers and proteges. People complain that Plano is getting people there that should be in Richardson, desiring a larger and larger population. Whatever it takes.
Not to be rude, but some people are about twenty years, if not one year, too late to be noticing these things but they keep doing the same thing and promoting the same slippery politicians, attacking others on behalf of the great politicians who should not agree to private goals or blaming everyone but the ones they put in charge at the very top, and getting results they claim they do not want, like higher taxes, more debt, more traffic, less nature preserve, water waste. Richardson doesn't like honest politicians. Anti's and RC'ers don't want to hear what they don't want to hear. It's all a dream. Richardson wants high density. It obviously doesn't want mass transit to serve the masses to the extent it should but it wants to spend millions and millions (half of Richardson's part of sales tax collections) in Richardson each year to say it does (or to not do it). If you want to live in the burbs, go somewhere else, alright?
SE OK Water: tussling with OKC (intrastate), or Texas, or commercial interests and ecological concerns, water's the word
(Richardson, Texas, blog)
Whiskey's for drinkin and water's for fightin.
Here is a video about one of southeast Oklahoma's major water sources, the Arbuckle-Simpson aquifer, narrated by Dennis Weaver before he passed away in 2006. Even if you are not interested in water (but you should be), it is a relaxing lunch time or whenever time nature type video to watch if you have twelve minutes.
A few things in the courts and lege have happened over the last five years in regards to SE OK water but some of the most hotly contested items are in the pending stage. It's worth a watch for anyone interested in water resources.
I had posted a link earlier in the year about Tarrant (Texas) Regional Water District (TRWD) and its try at getting ahold of OK Water. (In that case, trying to get Red River bound water before it crosses from OK into Texas. It picks up salt once it crosses over or into the Red River making it more expensive to prepare for use so grabbing it further north is one plan still at hand. The SE OK/Sardis Lake to OKC municipal water contract battle comes into play because TRWD here is opposing the language in the intra Oklahoma transfer of water rights contract because their contract inside of Oklahoma says out of state water sales are prohibited, which TRWD (who is out of state) argues is unconstitutional when it comes to a reservoir that was federally funded (similar "federal/this water is our water too" argument OKC used in the first place to get the water contract between the Oklahoma locations in the works, to get the Corp-built Sardis Lake water. Most residents around Sardis Lake are opposed to the water from their location going to Oklahoma City area because it threatens their poor (unwealthy) county's economy and environment. OKC is set to have 90% rights to the Sardis Lake water).
Some accuse that TRWD itself wants Sardis Lake water too, not only OKC, no matter who TRWD can buy it from, but wanting it for the Barnett Shale operations in Texas, not for mere thirsty Texans, a claim denied. OK is working on its state water plan, as should some other states be).
SE OK sources like Sardis and Hugo ( see, Irving Texas) and Arbuckle-Simpson are eyed for use beyond SE OK, so it's like a case of, "You too? Get in line." That reminds me, I have a clip I will share soon about the documentary called, Gasland (directed by Josh Fox).
Whiskey's for drinkin and water's for fightin.
Here is a video about one of southeast Oklahoma's major water sources, the Arbuckle-Simpson aquifer, narrated by Dennis Weaver before he passed away in 2006. Even if you are not interested in water (but you should be), it is a relaxing lunch time or whenever time nature type video to watch if you have twelve minutes.
A few things in the courts and lege have happened over the last five years in regards to SE OK water but some of the most hotly contested items are in the pending stage. It's worth a watch for anyone interested in water resources.
I had posted a link earlier in the year about Tarrant (Texas) Regional Water District (TRWD) and its try at getting ahold of OK Water. (In that case, trying to get Red River bound water before it crosses from OK into Texas. It picks up salt once it crosses over or into the Red River making it more expensive to prepare for use so grabbing it further north is one plan still at hand. The SE OK/Sardis Lake to OKC municipal water contract battle comes into play because TRWD here is opposing the language in the intra Oklahoma transfer of water rights contract because their contract inside of Oklahoma says out of state water sales are prohibited, which TRWD (who is out of state) argues is unconstitutional when it comes to a reservoir that was federally funded (similar "federal/this water is our water too" argument OKC used in the first place to get the water contract between the Oklahoma locations in the works, to get the Corp-built Sardis Lake water. Most residents around Sardis Lake are opposed to the water from their location going to Oklahoma City area because it threatens their poor (unwealthy) county's economy and environment. OKC is set to have 90% rights to the Sardis Lake water).
Some accuse that TRWD itself wants Sardis Lake water too, not only OKC, no matter who TRWD can buy it from, but wanting it for the Barnett Shale operations in Texas, not for mere thirsty Texans, a claim denied. OK is working on its state water plan, as should some other states be).
SE OK sources like Sardis and Hugo ( see, Irving Texas) and Arbuckle-Simpson are eyed for use beyond SE OK, so it's like a case of, "You too? Get in line." That reminds me, I have a clip I will share soon about the documentary called, Gasland (directed by Josh Fox).
Regifting (blogging from Richardson, Texas)
Regifting is usually thought of as trying to pass off gifts you receive to someone else as their gift, things that are not that desirable, but I share things that I think are good but I can't use, enough to justify keeping, so I call that regifting too.
As you may have picked up from one of my posts, I regift. I do this from time to time. I just regifted a piece of software/ game (unopened). If I have two of something or know I will not use it and no one in the immediate family is putting it to good use (and that the giver, if I'm close enough to ask him or her, would not like to use it or borrow it), I donate it or regift it, especially if it is unopened. I have had good luck doing this.
In return, I have received at least three things just this year that have come my way because someone else has asked me if I wanted it, could use it, and have given it to me and I was grateful to get these things because it saved me money and time too. It wasn't as if they wrapped it and put a bow on it, but it still seemed like a gift to me, and to the giver.
I of course make or do things or get things (when I can afford it) for special people outside of my immediate family, just for them, that no one else would think of, that is special, just for them. (I admit I do this for my own family all the time, especially things I do and make for them, to the point of spoiling perhaps).
I have one friend who says she would be embarrassed to regift and doesn't want anyone to regift her, as she called it. She doesn't remember that I did one time about five years ago, and told her that that was what I was doing, so I will have to remind her since she brought it up yesterday but immediately went into another long story about her work. She borrows things from me sometimes and occassionally doesn't return that fast, so that is already a little like regifting to herself especially when I say, after looking at it, oh, you can keep it. I tried to keep something and get her to say, "oh, you can keep it," but it only worked like one time. She knows it's true and she claims she makes up for it in a million other ways. She's got a point there.
The toy trade we do between the kids across our families is a form of regifting. Well, maybe not in the exact sense, but not too far from it.
What is your opinion of regifting? Have you done it before? Are you ok with receiving a regift if it is something you want or can use? Do you want to be told it is a regift? (I would want to know in most situations. One time I got a host gift that I saw my friend just give to one of our local politicians, who I won't name, you know who you are, as his host gift... he didn't know I knew she had given it to him, and I was thinking, what a cheap snickerdoodle when he gave it to me the next week, but that was really because of other things he does and not that, and he should have said something like, "we got so many and I wanted to share this one with you" or something like that, and I would have been, "oh, cool, thanks." I still said, "oh, cool, thanks" but inside, you know I was rolling my eyeballs).
Also, do you buy used things? I just bought a used kitchen small appliance (a blender for $5!) to augment the one I had because of some things I make at the holidays.
I saw a list that said that fruitcakes were the most regifted. I wonder if that is true or just the trendy thing to say. They actually get eaten around here, especially if we make it or we get or are presented one from Corsicana. We also don't participate in the fruit cake toss because we were taught it was a sin to play with your food, in the wasteful sense. Skipping rocks on the water always seemed much more fun. Except, I am doubting as I think about it that the fish enjoy it that much. I can just see some poor unsuspecting bass getting hit in the head with a flat rock.
As you may have picked up from one of my posts, I regift. I do this from time to time. I just regifted a piece of software/ game (unopened). If I have two of something or know I will not use it and no one in the immediate family is putting it to good use (and that the giver, if I'm close enough to ask him or her, would not like to use it or borrow it), I donate it or regift it, especially if it is unopened. I have had good luck doing this.
In return, I have received at least three things just this year that have come my way because someone else has asked me if I wanted it, could use it, and have given it to me and I was grateful to get these things because it saved me money and time too. It wasn't as if they wrapped it and put a bow on it, but it still seemed like a gift to me, and to the giver.
I of course make or do things or get things (when I can afford it) for special people outside of my immediate family, just for them, that no one else would think of, that is special, just for them. (I admit I do this for my own family all the time, especially things I do and make for them, to the point of spoiling perhaps).
I have one friend who says she would be embarrassed to regift and doesn't want anyone to regift her, as she called it. She doesn't remember that I did one time about five years ago, and told her that that was what I was doing, so I will have to remind her since she brought it up yesterday but immediately went into another long story about her work. She borrows things from me sometimes and occassionally doesn't return that fast, so that is already a little like regifting to herself especially when I say, after looking at it, oh, you can keep it. I tried to keep something and get her to say, "oh, you can keep it," but it only worked like one time. She knows it's true and she claims she makes up for it in a million other ways. She's got a point there.
The toy trade we do between the kids across our families is a form of regifting. Well, maybe not in the exact sense, but not too far from it.
What is your opinion of regifting? Have you done it before? Are you ok with receiving a regift if it is something you want or can use? Do you want to be told it is a regift? (I would want to know in most situations. One time I got a host gift that I saw my friend just give to one of our local politicians, who I won't name, you know who you are, as his host gift... he didn't know I knew she had given it to him, and I was thinking, what a cheap snickerdoodle when he gave it to me the next week, but that was really because of other things he does and not that, and he should have said something like, "we got so many and I wanted to share this one with you" or something like that, and I would have been, "oh, cool, thanks." I still said, "oh, cool, thanks" but inside, you know I was rolling my eyeballs).
Also, do you buy used things? I just bought a used kitchen small appliance (a blender for $5!) to augment the one I had because of some things I make at the holidays.
I saw a list that said that fruitcakes were the most regifted. I wonder if that is true or just the trendy thing to say. They actually get eaten around here, especially if we make it or we get or are presented one from Corsicana. We also don't participate in the fruit cake toss because we were taught it was a sin to play with your food, in the wasteful sense. Skipping rocks on the water always seemed much more fun. Except, I am doubting as I think about it that the fish enjoy it that much. I can just see some poor unsuspecting bass getting hit in the head with a flat rock.
Friday, December 17, 2010
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Funtastic Future Big City Headlines and News(letter)
New Urbanism Planning and Transportation Policy working: Texas just named most congested City in Universe.
Developers no longer required to ask for massive increased density
"We are just going to [expletive] just do it," proclaimed The City Leader. "Those who claim that you can't change the rules in the middle of the game are obviously cul-de-sac loving protectionists. You don't have to sign the [expletive] document now. We were sorta victims of that before. "
Contrived geo-social constructs to replace the now locally banned Facebook amid muffled controversy
"But I already interact socially," said one resident on Canyon Culvert Drive. "I see and talk to people I do business with, I spend time with my family, I am active in my children's education and in my church, in urban fatherless scouts, meals on light rail, and in rotary-rotary. I serve with the urban trails chamber of commerce committee and didn't protest the trail running through my swimming pool. I visit with my friends and family in other parts of the country on Holog Fbook. What more do these people want?"
An unidentified city planner explained, "We as a government are responsible for every aspect of our citizens' lives, whether making sure they have our transportation and the right kind of sleep to helping educate them on how to socialize properly in one of our seven modes. We still allow them to pick from the pre-selected choices of avatars that will display on their weekly life bill, with discount for early nodding while payment is taken. This is the only sustainable way. Facebook is an antiquated, non developer revenue producer for our telecom city. We are all about local control. If you consider it properly, you are only giving up your cup of decaffeinated coffee a day."
Parlia-Gtyn-Tele-Mann Urban Common Tropical Tree Park and Garage (formerly known as Spring Creek Natural Area formerly known as Spring Creek Nature Preserve) receives more bond funding
With over twenty thousands subsidized apartment users daily, bond funding will cover the increasing costs of safety patrol, litter abatement and dead tropical tree replacement, says an unnamed bond team official. Known as the "Save Our Common" project, the city council approved a Phase I nineteen cents tax increase last year to remodel the common nature area and install irrigation equipment, following the discontinuation of the creek, achieved in the last bond, one and a half years ago, in hopes of developing the adjacent track through providing incentives to a developer to consider visiting the location, across from the prior dense development, that used heavy incentives and density to attract development. The new bond will raise taxes by only eighteen cents (2 percent of current rate).
Interabode Nature Simulation Trail Through Old Town Residential Bathrooms shows increase in property crime, to be discussed at forum
A group of concerned citizens will meet at the sink between 11:00 and 11:04 pm to create a pseudo flash mob safety plan.
New Keslucklesmann Center for The Performing Arts and Politicians will present, A Vision Upon A Vision On A Tale
Join us for a visionary tale of visions interwoven with more visions directed by the legendary visionary of our community, Keslucklesmann, The Three Headed Visionary Camel. A massive community puppet show will precede.
Home Improvement Stores Banned
In an expected move, The City Leader completed the ban of all home improvement related supplies, paraphernalia and stores from The City and within ten miles. "We [expletive] [expletive] [expletive] don't need them now," he mumbled languidly.
Developers no longer required to ask for massive increased density
"We are just going to [expletive] just do it," proclaimed The City Leader. "Those who claim that you can't change the rules in the middle of the game are obviously cul-de-sac loving protectionists. You don't have to sign the [expletive] document now. We were sorta victims of that before. "
Contrived geo-social constructs to replace the now locally banned Facebook amid muffled controversy
"But I already interact socially," said one resident on Canyon Culvert Drive. "I see and talk to people I do business with, I spend time with my family, I am active in my children's education and in my church, in urban fatherless scouts, meals on light rail, and in rotary-rotary. I serve with the urban trails chamber of commerce committee and didn't protest the trail running through my swimming pool. I visit with my friends and family in other parts of the country on Holog Fbook. What more do these people want?"
An unidentified city planner explained, "We as a government are responsible for every aspect of our citizens' lives, whether making sure they have our transportation and the right kind of sleep to helping educate them on how to socialize properly in one of our seven modes. We still allow them to pick from the pre-selected choices of avatars that will display on their weekly life bill, with discount for early nodding while payment is taken. This is the only sustainable way. Facebook is an antiquated, non developer revenue producer for our telecom city. We are all about local control. If you consider it properly, you are only giving up your cup of decaffeinated coffee a day."
Parlia-Gtyn-Tele-Mann Urban Common Tropical Tree Park and Garage (formerly known as Spring Creek Natural Area formerly known as Spring Creek Nature Preserve) receives more bond funding
With over twenty thousands subsidized apartment users daily, bond funding will cover the increasing costs of safety patrol, litter abatement and dead tropical tree replacement, says an unnamed bond team official. Known as the "Save Our Common" project, the city council approved a Phase I nineteen cents tax increase last year to remodel the common nature area and install irrigation equipment, following the discontinuation of the creek, achieved in the last bond, one and a half years ago, in hopes of developing the adjacent track through providing incentives to a developer to consider visiting the location, across from the prior dense development, that used heavy incentives and density to attract development. The new bond will raise taxes by only eighteen cents (2 percent of current rate).
Interabode Nature Simulation Trail Through Old Town Residential Bathrooms shows increase in property crime, to be discussed at forum
A group of concerned citizens will meet at the sink between 11:00 and 11:04 pm to create a pseudo flash mob safety plan.
New Keslucklesmann Center for The Performing Arts and Politicians will present, A Vision Upon A Vision On A Tale
Join us for a visionary tale of visions interwoven with more visions directed by the legendary visionary of our community, Keslucklesmann, The Three Headed Visionary Camel. A massive community puppet show will precede.
Home Improvement Stores Banned
In an expected move, The City Leader completed the ban of all home improvement related supplies, paraphernalia and stores from The City and within ten miles. "We [expletive] [expletive] [expletive] don't need them now," he mumbled languidly.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Winner of the Quiz is "mgmtutd1990" and she picked between five gifts, she went for the Beatles xbox game (software only) (Richardson, TX)
"mgmtutd1990" lives in the panhandle and goes to UTD (shout out) and listens to the group called MGMT (hence her "name"). She correctly answered the question with ..... "Chris Gaines." She promises she did not google for it. Congratulations. And, you have awesome taste, I'm a MGMT fan too.
You have your prize and here is a link to MGMT, with what else, "Congratulations."
You have your prize and here is a link to MGMT, with what else, "Congratulations."
At Amazon.com or itunes.
Oklahoma claimed to have the distinction of being the first state in our union to vote a ban of Islamic sharia laws from being ...(Richardson TX blog)
used by judges to decide cases. Not only Sharia law but also the judges are not (were not, according to OK lege and voters) to consider international law in making rulings.
Some unintended things would come of that in my opinion, with impacts to businesses (who do business internationally), other religious precepts that are respected in arbitration and civil areas, and Native American rights ("legal precepts of other nations and cultures") that do not offend law. By the definition, it could be said that the Ten Commandments (voted to be posted on OK state grounds otherwise) and English Common Law are outters.
So this may be what Muslims and Native Americans (and Jewish and international business and some other people and practices) have in common in Oklahoma. Now you might wonder how this (would have) impacts us (water, rights, Texas, etc.). It does (if they get the measure back on, as some are hoping). Maybe more about that later.
The Oklahoma law (State Question 755, passed by 70%, but stopped before certification) has a permanent injunction, the last I heard or read. At least seven other states (mostly Southern plus Utah) have proposed laws similar and two more have some limited regarding outside law. And Newt wants it to go federal.
It (that amendment put up in Oklahoma by representatives and passed by voters but stopped by courts) is not constitutional.
Unless what a lot of pretend conservatives want to do is accomplished and that is to change the parts of the constitution that get in the way (like the Bill of Rights, Establishment Clause).
On the other hand, those who scoff at the worries of many who wanted such an amendment, or who thought they did, badly constructed, short sighted, unconstitutional as it may have been, are too quick to dismiss and mock every concern behind it (such as U.S. sovereignty, rule of law, keeping government out of religion ((well maybe not that one)), domestic terrorism, violence against women and girls justified through religion).
(Maps may be clicked to enlarge for improved viewing)
Some unintended things would come of that in my opinion, with impacts to businesses (who do business internationally), other religious precepts that are respected in arbitration and civil areas, and Native American rights ("legal precepts of other nations and cultures") that do not offend law. By the definition, it could be said that the Ten Commandments (voted to be posted on OK state grounds otherwise) and English Common Law are outters.
So this may be what Muslims and Native Americans (and Jewish and international business and some other people and practices) have in common in Oklahoma. Now you might wonder how this (would have) impacts us (water, rights, Texas, etc.). It does (if they get the measure back on, as some are hoping). Maybe more about that later.
The Oklahoma law (State Question 755, passed by 70%, but stopped before certification) has a permanent injunction, the last I heard or read. At least seven other states (mostly Southern plus Utah) have proposed laws similar and two more have some limited regarding outside law. And Newt wants it to go federal.
It (that amendment put up in Oklahoma by representatives and passed by voters but stopped by courts) is not constitutional.
Unless what a lot of pretend conservatives want to do is accomplished and that is to change the parts of the constitution that get in the way (like the Bill of Rights, Establishment Clause).
On the other hand, those who scoff at the worries of many who wanted such an amendment, or who thought they did, badly constructed, short sighted, unconstitutional as it may have been, are too quick to dismiss and mock every concern behind it (such as U.S. sovereignty, rule of law, keeping government out of religion ((well maybe not that one)), domestic terrorism, violence against women and girls justified through religion).
(Maps may be clicked to enlarge for improved viewing)
Monday, December 13, 2010
If the little congestion relief provided by light rail is far exceeded by its cost, how is it to be salvaged at this stage? An express to the airport
is fine and good (at great cost) but high density at stations is being pushed because it can help justify the original light rail vision and all the millions and millions and millions into it (billions collectively, much debt), with some developers hoping to cash in well above the communal cost-to-benefits gain by a leg to the airport now. Pushing for higher density in suburbia to justify a city transportation dream is backwards, but that is how some (people's) dreams are made and labeled a success. When will success come and at what price? And at the expenses of other more organic development elsewhere and higher functioning plans, like bus service. A more saturated and flexible bus system that goes where more people want and need to go would cost less and offer more service.
I love trains. They are cool. Light rail is still novel even after about a thousand trips and cool and touristy and can be commutery for a small group who are going where it goes. (Personal safety issues aside, DART scandal and conflict of interests aside). I like that whoosh and speed. They are costly. They need to make sense. Until we are made to fit it (the light rail or whatever variation of it), it won't make sense. Whereas the automobile opened up mobility opportunities and new lifestyles (leaving some train travel behind), the light rail transit model is more limiting in many ways, doesn't offer anywhere near as much mobility (or speed, time savings as it is operated now) as the automobile.
Packing UTD, densifying stations, bringing people in, it could all make the light dream work. At a very high cost. Those wanting the suburban lifestyle (less traffic, less pollution, less crowding) will have to go somewhere else. (Doesn't that equal the so called dreaded sprawl anyway?) (You should know that packing a place with more people does not cut down on local congestion and traffic and idle pollution).
Farm land has been taken out of production, but what has been taken out due to sprawl is only a small fraction. "Sprawl" in and of itself is not a main problem. (It's how we do it).
Oh, big density is going to get approved in spots because the thinking is that we are in for a dime already, so go all the way in for a pound (to make a dream work). Make that millions and millions of pounds.
Creating hot spots of density does not a successful regional transit system make, but it does make for some other things.
I got a few emails this morning originating (originally) from someone claiming to represent some people or residents (not sure who "they" are who agreed to be represented) on that high density apartment proposal mentioned at 75 and Renner (notice I used the word "that"). Riiight. Like things were represented before. I think the closer I lived the quicker I would say, "no thanks." If you think it is so good for the environment as you espouse, and are talking about how "smart planning" you are, you go live in high density somewhere that it already exists. Don't try to talk me into it. The "walkable" tiny dream community. But I still got to get to the grocery store, the doctor, the soccer game, and least of all work, schools and church.
Who is left that represents suburbanites? Anyone? Anyone?
If you want to live in a high density apartment area, pave over everything, go there. If not, don't agree so easily to have it come to you. (Not that much of it).
Michael in Portland wrote this in 2004 and it can be ours if we want it (but it will cost).
I love trains. They are cool. Light rail is still novel even after about a thousand trips and cool and touristy and can be commutery for a small group who are going where it goes. (Personal safety issues aside, DART scandal and conflict of interests aside). I like that whoosh and speed. They are costly. They need to make sense. Until we are made to fit it (the light rail or whatever variation of it), it won't make sense. Whereas the automobile opened up mobility opportunities and new lifestyles (leaving some train travel behind), the light rail transit model is more limiting in many ways, doesn't offer anywhere near as much mobility (or speed, time savings as it is operated now) as the automobile.
Packing UTD, densifying stations, bringing people in, it could all make the light dream work. At a very high cost. Those wanting the suburban lifestyle (less traffic, less pollution, less crowding) will have to go somewhere else. (Doesn't that equal the so called dreaded sprawl anyway?) (You should know that packing a place with more people does not cut down on local congestion and traffic and idle pollution).
Farm land has been taken out of production, but what has been taken out due to sprawl is only a small fraction. "Sprawl" in and of itself is not a main problem. (It's how we do it).
Oh, big density is going to get approved in spots because the thinking is that we are in for a dime already, so go all the way in for a pound (to make a dream work). Make that millions and millions of pounds.
Creating hot spots of density does not a successful regional transit system make, but it does make for some other things.
I got a few emails this morning originating (originally) from someone claiming to represent some people or residents (not sure who "they" are who agreed to be represented) on that high density apartment proposal mentioned at 75 and Renner (notice I used the word "that"). Riiight. Like things were represented before. I think the closer I lived the quicker I would say, "no thanks." If you think it is so good for the environment as you espouse, and are talking about how "smart planning" you are, you go live in high density somewhere that it already exists. Don't try to talk me into it. The "walkable" tiny dream community. But I still got to get to the grocery store, the doctor, the soccer game, and least of all work, schools and church.
Who is left that represents suburbanites? Anyone? Anyone?
If you want to live in a high density apartment area, pave over everything, go there. If not, don't agree so easily to have it come to you. (Not that much of it).
Michael in Portland wrote this in 2004 and it can be ours if we want it (but it will cost).
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Density, revisited. Third, (Blogging from Richardson, Texas)
discuss the claim that a compact city form will contribute to urban sustainability, link.
and,
how urban density intensifies traffic congestion (and area pollution), link pdf.
Technology will help the surburban dream sustain, in my opinion, if that is what many of us want, and not turning surburbia into "city," which seems to be the "driving vision" (that and justifying an exhorbitantly costly train dream).
I like my surbuban [suburban] life. If I wanted to live in a much more dense place I would have moved directly into the big city. I like my multi car garage, private parking, large well insulated single family home, productive garden, quiet neighbors, favorite haunts down the road, schools, short or no waiting lines most everywhere local. I don't want to live in a cracker box or next to any of these apartments that are four or seven times or ten or more times the population of the adjacent neighborhood.
People all over the world want the dreams available in suburbia and that includes (it should not exclude) the wife, the 1.8 (or more) kids, the dog (or monkey) and the two car garage in suburbia. And the willingness to work to get it, and more.
Don't judge me. And don't rob me and other suburbanites of the dream by changing it all to your high density dream (which is not all you are cracking it up to be, other than the money in the players' pockets thing, that part is accurate).
-Maggie May USA
and,
how urban density intensifies traffic congestion (and area pollution), link pdf.
Technology will help the surburban dream sustain, in my opinion, if that is what many of us want, and not turning surburbia into "city," which seems to be the "driving vision" (that and justifying an exhorbitantly costly train dream).
I like my surbuban [suburban] life. If I wanted to live in a much more dense place I would have moved directly into the big city. I like my multi car garage, private parking, large well insulated single family home, productive garden, quiet neighbors, favorite haunts down the road, schools, short or no waiting lines most everywhere local. I don't want to live in a cracker box or next to any of these apartments that are four or seven times or ten or more times the population of the adjacent neighborhood.
People all over the world want the dreams available in suburbia and that includes (it should not exclude) the wife, the 1.8 (or more) kids, the dog (or monkey) and the two car garage in suburbia. And the willingness to work to get it, and more.
Don't judge me. And don't rob me and other suburbanites of the dream by changing it all to your high density dream (which is not all you are cracking it up to be, other than the money in the players' pockets thing, that part is accurate).
-Maggie May USA
Second. A comeback. (Blogging from Richardson, Texas)
37 seconds
About his first tv interview, funny
Guess who? If you are the first to guess this charater's name below without googling, you win a prize. Seriously.
Or, right now
About his first tv interview, funny
Guess who? If you are the first to guess this charater's name below without googling, you win a prize. Seriously.
Or, right now
Mountains of chat. I was surprised to find that the road stopped at a sinkhole.
I was standing on ground zero... 25 miles from my front porch. And I had never heard about it.
Matt Myers
Tornado hit in '08 and wiped out a bunch of homes on top of it all.
Matt Myers
Tornado hit in '08 and wiped out a bunch of homes on top of it all.
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Letterbox: A number of things, so I will just say thanks to one I got, a forward of George Human, President, Sherrill Park Neighborhood Association
making some calm remarks about the Renner-Plano Rd zoning hearing tonight 7PM at Richardson City Hall. He isn't always known for his judgment in my opinion, like forwarding Richardson Coalition email bomb material before (not now), but of the several on this topic I received, the one forwarded that had his prepared remarks was the most calm, sensible one, without head nodding ahead of time.
I wonder why the president of my neighborhood association or my city council district representative haven't mentioned a word about it. I have heard from them on many trivial, self-promoting, especially the district rep, things but not on this. Odd.
I wonder if anyone knows about the planned road work to accommodate (after the fact) this big development. I doubt they want to draw your attention to this, especially the closest home owners, down the road, because you might have some input.
Why not taller buildings and bigger set backs. It costs a little more (lot more), but it could function and be better, with more green space. As opposed to the small set back, short, cram plan.
The city (tax payers) is paying for the sub dividing roads across all the undeveloped plats I noticed. (Gotta have somethings to hook up to the four lane nature road). Is this undeveloped land in a tax (poverty) enterprize zone since open land is so hard to use and in such low demand, you know? It would be good to know.
I wonder why the president of my neighborhood association or my city council district representative haven't mentioned a word about it. I have heard from them on many trivial, self-promoting, especially the district rep, things but not on this. Odd.
I wonder if anyone knows about the planned road work to accommodate (after the fact) this big development. I doubt they want to draw your attention to this, especially the closest home owners, down the road, because you might have some input.
Why not taller buildings and bigger set backs. It costs a little more (lot more), but it could function and be better, with more green space. As opposed to the small set back, short, cram plan.
The city (tax payers) is paying for the sub dividing roads across all the undeveloped plats I noticed. (Gotta have somethings to hook up to the four lane nature road). Is this undeveloped land in a tax (poverty) enterprize zone since open land is so hard to use and in such low demand, you know? It would be good to know.
There is an application a few days ahead of the moratorium that needs to be dealt with, indicates city official finally when asked point blank.
A partial moratorium is placed on answering certain questions put forward by the public too.
(As a rule of thumb to all you public, you will have to file a public records request, then wait 10 business days, only to often find that your request has gone to the attorney general for a finding on whether your local government has to actually give you the public information you asked for, but only on the ones that they don't want you to have. Or the claim will be that there's nothing that answers your request for information, often not true. And by the time you might get information, you are just a little too late officially to give your input.)
It is good on one hand that the City wants to avoid another lawsuit, and block an undesirable development, without being accused of singling it out for blocking which is what is happening, but from a risk assessment point of view, they wouldn't be facing lawsuits if they would do right by things. Another case of hurry up, we've waited twenty years. Hurry up, we have played around over a year.
If one hair gets out of place in our perfect vision, all is doomed! (Wait, we really don't have rules for our vision after all the gum flapping and hob knobbing, so you wait right there until we do!)
"This is a time out." "This will give us time." Gosh, you regular people, even a nine year old can understand that!
Can't you see I've been busy combing my hair and bumping elbows!
Another point of view, can't you see a head politician and my spouse are trying to repair their broken trust relationship after a head politician welched out on the business deal involving city funds with my spouse in favor of his developer friend, and all the while I am serving as a top appointee!
Another point of view still, can't you see that I almost got kicked off of the committee. I can give you clues, but if I come right out with too much, I will no longer be on the inside.
This just in, City creates time (by foot dragging by the deans and through use of a special hearing aid called moratorium, not used in previous zoning development).
All very cool. Very cool.
In other news, the holiday rush is in full swing. It is a well known device in the political and development world that the holidays are the best time to rush things through. Take a four lane road through a nature area and pass it on a consent agenda after bed time, during the winter of 2006.
An added benefit of clearing the calendar of things of great ideas that need to be rushed through or blocked is it allows committee members who want to run for city council to give an assured vote before resigning and it allows city council a less rowdy election time filled with lower keyed issues that need to be voted on. The public has a very short memory, the small portion that cares. They won't know and if they do they won't remember anything unless it is with fondness the beautiful brass embellishment plates with pillar names and boyish impish grinning pillars. (That's always the hope and plan, but it might not work out exactly like that round here).
For the life of me, I can't find my invitation to the Mayor's Christmas Party. I know I already paid for it. I buy at least two every year. Now where is that. Here tickie tickie, here tickie tickie.
(As a rule of thumb to all you public, you will have to file a public records request, then wait 10 business days, only to often find that your request has gone to the attorney general for a finding on whether your local government has to actually give you the public information you asked for, but only on the ones that they don't want you to have. Or the claim will be that there's nothing that answers your request for information, often not true. And by the time you might get information, you are just a little too late officially to give your input.)
It is good on one hand that the City wants to avoid another lawsuit, and block an undesirable development, without being accused of singling it out for blocking which is what is happening, but from a risk assessment point of view, they wouldn't be facing lawsuits if they would do right by things. Another case of hurry up, we've waited twenty years. Hurry up, we have played around over a year.
If one hair gets out of place in our perfect vision, all is doomed! (Wait, we really don't have rules for our vision after all the gum flapping and hob knobbing, so you wait right there until we do!)
"This is a time out." "This will give us time." Gosh, you regular people, even a nine year old can understand that!
Can't you see I've been busy combing my hair and bumping elbows!
Another point of view, can't you see a head politician and my spouse are trying to repair their broken trust relationship after a head politician welched out on the business deal involving city funds with my spouse in favor of his developer friend, and all the while I am serving as a top appointee!
Another point of view still, can't you see that I almost got kicked off of the committee. I can give you clues, but if I come right out with too much, I will no longer be on the inside.
This just in, City creates time (by foot dragging by the deans and through use of a special hearing aid called moratorium, not used in previous zoning development).
All very cool. Very cool.
In other news, the holiday rush is in full swing. It is a well known device in the political and development world that the holidays are the best time to rush things through. Take a four lane road through a nature area and pass it on a consent agenda after bed time, during the winter of 2006.
An added benefit of clearing the calendar of things of great ideas that need to be rushed through or blocked is it allows committee members who want to run for city council to give an assured vote before resigning and it allows city council a less rowdy election time filled with lower keyed issues that need to be voted on. The public has a very short memory, the small portion that cares. They won't know and if they do they won't remember anything unless it is with fondness the beautiful brass embellishment plates with pillar names and boyish impish grinning pillars. (That's always the hope and plan, but it might not work out exactly like that round here).
For the life of me, I can't find my invitation to the Mayor's Christmas Party. I know I already paid for it. I buy at least two every year. Now where is that. Here tickie tickie, here tickie tickie.
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Richardson TX Mayor Gary Slagel publicly recorded 2009 explaining pay to play (during Gov Blagojevich's reign) on Illinois Toll contract. Trust?
Gary Slagel during the last election sent out a political piece about "trust?" which was a play on not trusting him.
He and his "coalition of friends" tried to discredit certain people. Some were definitely about ongoing spats and power grabs. But with a few of them, they just simply, honestly did not give their full trust to him and did not agree with certain things and did not and would not go along with him on those things. What was the reaction toward people who refused to go along with questionable things? Can you say vindictive bullying. Spiteful attacks on those who didn't pledge allegiance to him and agree that Gary Slagel should be Mayor (for Life?, to borrow an award term from his protege, Angie Chen Button), and their version of "The Richardson Way." With no repentance or dealing, people who could not be strong armed were personally attacked and therefore their spouses and families. Has it spawned anything in return? Yes, it has. Many things.
In this particular public audio recording I am listening to it to determine if I should type up a transcript of it, and compile many other public statements and public records of much greater importance, with conflicting information within them, but of longer length and better audio and video quality, but that some people have never seen, heard or read in the news.
"That governor" Mayor Gary Slagel refers to is Gov. Rod Blagojevich (who is awaiting retrail and sentencing, currently convicted of lying to the FBI). Is putting the word "that" before a generic description of someone a way to distance? My opinion is it is and it may be effective with people who have not seen this done before. It does remind me when Bill Clinton said, "I did not have sexual relations with that woman."
The news partially covered the questions surrounding the Illinois contract with no real follow up, among other stories of his various activities, where there in Illinois, Gary Slagel and his company (his board of directors) were not winning a toll contract but in the end surprisingly won the contract. However, he has indicated that while consultants had told him and his board that they "needed to participate in state politics" and "that's what happened," with his board, not him, giving a donation to "that governor." He claims that it didn't have anything to do with winning the contract, that they were "sorta victims," "that's what happened." (The contract ultimately did not end well for at least all the parties concerned, just like other contracts involving Mayor Gary Slagel. This is a continuing theme it seems, especially for tax payers in the places.)
His board, he has indicated, are the guys who gave $12 million to the company and it was their money. What about the city incubator rent where the mayor's and his board of directors business was being incubated for years? Whose building was that, and was the full market rent paid, in full? Proof of the full market payment was not provided publicly. There was money from the mayor's and his board's company to pay to Governor Blagojevich's political fund so there should have been money to pay the tax payers who were footing the bonds that pay for the special incubator building that the mayor had put his and his board's business into, as in "so, it's really their (the taxpayers') money."
Would you like a fly over bridge (embedded commemorative brass plates included)?
He and his "coalition of friends" tried to discredit certain people. Some were definitely about ongoing spats and power grabs. But with a few of them, they just simply, honestly did not give their full trust to him and did not agree with certain things and did not and would not go along with him on those things. What was the reaction toward people who refused to go along with questionable things? Can you say vindictive bullying. Spiteful attacks on those who didn't pledge allegiance to him and agree that Gary Slagel should be Mayor (for Life?, to borrow an award term from his protege, Angie Chen Button), and their version of "The Richardson Way." With no repentance or dealing, people who could not be strong armed were personally attacked and therefore their spouses and families. Has it spawned anything in return? Yes, it has. Many things.
In this particular public audio recording I am listening to it to determine if I should type up a transcript of it, and compile many other public statements and public records of much greater importance, with conflicting information within them, but of longer length and better audio and video quality, but that some people have never seen, heard or read in the news.
"That governor" Mayor Gary Slagel refers to is Gov. Rod Blagojevich (who is awaiting retrail and sentencing, currently convicted of lying to the FBI). Is putting the word "that" before a generic description of someone a way to distance? My opinion is it is and it may be effective with people who have not seen this done before. It does remind me when Bill Clinton said, "I did not have sexual relations with that woman."
The news partially covered the questions surrounding the Illinois contract with no real follow up, among other stories of his various activities, where there in Illinois, Gary Slagel and his company (his board of directors) were not winning a toll contract but in the end surprisingly won the contract. However, he has indicated that while consultants had told him and his board that they "needed to participate in state politics" and "that's what happened," with his board, not him, giving a donation to "that governor." He claims that it didn't have anything to do with winning the contract, that they were "sorta victims," "that's what happened." (The contract ultimately did not end well for at least all the parties concerned, just like other contracts involving Mayor Gary Slagel. This is a continuing theme it seems, especially for tax payers in the places.)
His board, he has indicated, are the guys who gave $12 million to the company and it was their money. What about the city incubator rent where the mayor's and his board of directors business was being incubated for years? Whose building was that, and was the full market rent paid, in full? Proof of the full market payment was not provided publicly. There was money from the mayor's and his board's company to pay to Governor Blagojevich's political fund so there should have been money to pay the tax payers who were footing the bonds that pay for the special incubator building that the mayor had put his and his board's business into, as in "so, it's really their (the taxpayers') money."
Would you like a fly over bridge (embedded commemorative brass plates included)?
Friday, December 3, 2010
Wha I didt in my tHanksgive Hollday, by Pillar of Comunty (I lub Rizzerchon, Tessas)
Son of a. I get crossh thish croshwalk. Why's my dinner fish keep get mixshd up wi my beaful santna beard? Shlow dow. You shtupid driber. Can you shee I'm try to eat my fish dinner in peacsh.
Waid a minute. Who took my boddle?
Thish stree busy. I tol you to slow dow! I show you. &*@$( croshwalks! I show you. Spokane croshwalk sign! Stupts dribers! Idiod dribers!
Take that!
(do not click if you do not want to see bad).
&@(#% Donut you tell me to stops! Wheresh my #&*! *hic* b 'oddle?
Now hows I sposed get hom ta Rizzerson? I lub Rizsershon. I lub Losh Vegdas. I nee a taxshe. cuh here hel me downzsh thish po! I a fraid heightsh. Heeeeep. Heeeep. It col. I freeezzshin!
I lub Rizzerson.
Waid a minute. Who took my boddle?
Thish stree busy. I tol you to slow dow! I show you. &*@$( croshwalks! I show you. Spokane croshwalk sign! Stupts dribers! Idiod dribers!
Take that!
(do not click if you do not want to see bad).
&@(#% Donut you tell me to stops! Wheresh my #&*! *hic* b 'oddle?
Now hows I sposed get hom ta Rizzerson? I lub Rizsershon. I lub Losh Vegdas. I nee a taxshe. cuh here hel me downzsh thish po! I a fraid heightsh. Heeeeep. Heeeep. It col. I freeezzshin!
I lub Rizzerson.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
When (life gives you) arsenic, look for ail yuns
Life, Redefined: NASA Proves Life Outside Of Earth Is Possible With New Microbe
During a special press conference Thursday (today), NASA astrobiologists announced that a team of researchers have uncovered microbes able to subsist on arsenic, which alters the longtime basic formula for life.
Arsenic has been a word mentioned a number of times recently in Richardson, Texas, having to do with a local (regional) creek.
During a special press conference Thursday (today), NASA astrobiologists announced that a team of researchers have uncovered microbes able to subsist on arsenic, which alters the longtime basic formula for life.
Arsenic has been a word mentioned a number of times recently in Richardson, Texas, having to do with a local (regional) creek.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Woody
(still picture: "this machine kills fascists")
Press play. 2 mins, 40 seconds
Train 45
The train I ride on is a hundred coaches long,
you can hear the whistle blow a hundred miles.
If that train runs right, I'll be home tomorrow night,
cause I'm nine hundred miles from my home
and I hate to hear that lonesome whistle blow.
Walkin down the track I got tears in my eyes,
tryin ta read a letter from my home.
If that train runs right, I'll see my woman Saturday night,
cause I'm nine hundred miles from my home
and I hate to hear that lonesome whistle blow.
Letterbox: Rick W., a conscientious citizen and true environmentalist; And Sunset Review Hearing for TCEQ
I would like to thank Rick Wilder for his guidance and commitment to Richardson and its environment. He is a straight up man and calls things like he sees them, including disagreeing with Maggie May USA's post (the hyperbole pillar example that I wrote after getting an over the top email bomb). He is not an eye rolling NIMBY, just wanted to clarify that (not him in that prior post of MMUSA's). He has also challenged MMUSA (and others) inviting Maggie May USA to attend the December 15 TCEQ Sunset Review hearing in Austin.
On that topic, here is one link to information about the topic I had bookmarked: Sunset Advisory Commission and with another one from a group, Alliance for a Clean Texas, one of many, making recommendations about TCEQ.
On that topic, here is one link to information about the topic I had bookmarked: Sunset Advisory Commission and with another one from a group, Alliance for a Clean Texas, one of many, making recommendations about TCEQ.
Here is an excerpt, one that I agree with from ACT (some I do agree with, some I do not):
"TCEQ should be directed to improve the public's ability to participate in agency decisions.
TCEQ's narrow approach to granting administrative standing limits public involvement in permitting decisions. Certain permit authorizations limit public notice and comment. Other measures to improve agency transparency and increase public participation should be adopted."
"TCEQ should be directed to improve the public's ability to participate in agency decisions.
TCEQ's narrow approach to granting administrative standing limits public involvement in permitting decisions. Certain permit authorizations limit public notice and comment. Other measures to improve agency transparency and increase public participation should be adopted."
Letterbox: John W. sent a note, a real gentleman. Maggie May USA wasn't referring to John W. in the prior post as the er-NIMBY but is glad he wrote in
(and has agreed to not roll his eyes, so I promise to not roll my eyes in return. I'm just saying, when someone rolls their eyes at me and mine, I will roll mine back, in some way).
Maggie May,
I would like to gain some understanding on your perspective regarding the whole trash issue.
Would you be willing?
Please let me know,
John Wallberg
P.S. I have not advocated for the removal of the transfer station. In meeting with the local Sierra Club head, when he said that their position would be to shut it down and have more (and smaller) transfer stations located in industrial areas, I asked him to not bring this position forward, as it would not be politically feasible.
P.P.S. During this whole process I know that I've made plenty of mistakes. Eye rolling is something that I for sure used to do, and every once and a while still do. If it was me that did the eye roll, then I'm sorry. ...
Either way, many of the points you bring up are good and shared by many of the people working this issue.
John Wallberg
P.S. I have not advocated for the removal of the transfer station. In meeting with the local Sierra Club head, when he said that their position would be to shut it down and have more (and smaller) transfer stations located in industrial areas, I asked him to not bring this position forward, as it would not be politically feasible.
P.P.S. During this whole process I know that I've made plenty of mistakes. Eye rolling is something that I for sure used to do, and every once and a while still do. If it was me that did the eye roll, then I'm sorry. ...
Either way, many of the points you bring up are good and shared by many of the people working this issue.
Trash
And by the way, arsenic? In the creek behind the transfer station area? The houses around it were built directly on a landfill. It is not the transfer of trash and transfer of debris that caused hypothetical arsenic in the creek. It would be the landfill. What is now golf course and some houses. It is still there, buried. You people are soylent green.
I suppose now the city wil agree to buy their houses in addition to raising our trash rates three times. That will raise it more than three times. (The mayor seems to want them to go away, that's one way. Bought the houses across from city hall, why not there too? It would make as much sense). This is apart from water rates that will increase.
Both the council and the activists need to rethink a part of their agreements some of which is good, some of which is short sighted and bad. They have gone through a big rigmaroll to get little, some of which was already going to happen yet they are claiming victory for in their carpet email bombs (without permission to use the email addresses from all the email address owners, there was no right to give them to the activist group, much like the Richardson Coalition and City disregards email privacy, yet goes to the Attorney General to redact the Eisemann Petition email addresses, successfully, funny how that works -- no equal protection under the law or rather under city action by the way. The Council is still playing games with the activists and not speaking frankly. "Sign the damn" thing is finally not exactly agreeing but more caving in fully betting that cover can be gotten via the NTMWD but still being annoyed.
Great acting by the way on the part of the rest of the City Council.
And, it was funny, in the not ha ha way, when one activist yelled to move the transfer station out of his back yard (he does not live next to it) and put it in someone else's backyard in Garland. Now that is truly playing NIMBY. That's not being true environmentalists. The activists began by wanting it moved completely but without any care for where the transfer of their trash would be done, just NIMBY. ("What can we fight next?" was voiced by one of the head NIMBYs). They knowingly circulated misinformation. Some of them are still saying NIMBY, all the while some of their homes are built on a bed of trash.
Great ideas were there that they didn't mess with but some have conceded things that are wrong to concede that they don't want to know about, don't care, and are agreeing to things they nor the Council should (or can) agree to. Oh, and forget the rest of us. How grand of them all. One NIMBY complained that regular City Council meetings couldn't be moved to fit NIMBY's schedule, but NIMBY always scheduled to fit NIMBY without much regard to others.
I look forward to the real scheduled public hearing on this matter held by NTMWD when they have the answers ready that the rest of us asked, not the NIMBYs and I hope without the mayor telling all the others on the council and city staff what to say or do and getting back at the ones who try to get the answers. Not that the head NIMBYs ever help matters by slinging mud all over the place including the email just sent which all winds up working in the Mayor and his hand picked court's favor who are playing political games. The head NIMBY is trying to play political games but isn't as good as the Mayor just yet. Thanks, you head NIMBYs. Thanks to you and the Council and "Richardson Coalition" and NTMWD and Sierra Club (the one guy) and TCEQ with an overall unwillingness to listen and to ignore or drum out average residents. You have lost credibility as heads.
Our community needs to learn to deal with its trash, in place, locally transferred, contained, clean up where needed, managed, and deal with reducing trash, reducing costs, increasing composting, getting compost from there for flower beds and gardens, recycling, education for rainwater catchment and solar energy collection with the city being and leading the example in an economically feasible, responsible way over our resources. A user lane at the transfer station and one for the trash trucks when the road is rebuilt along with the containment will make it a true user friendly deal. And continue to work for efficiencies with others (Plano, commercial debris haulers, etc.).
And, city, why are you discouraging babic drop off by limiting it so much? I guess you like the stuff loaded onto the parkway even when the resident doesn't.
Richardson needs to go to once a week city trash pick up because twice is crazy costly and truck trafficky (controversial ideal to go to once a week, yeah, I know).
None of this is probably going to happen that soon with mostly seat fillers who oscillate between being led by the nose or thumbing their nose at tax payers and doing their "special" deals and "strategies" and hiding or blocking information and counting on a regional board or staff to cover for them.
This versus some of the NIMBYs and activists seemingly initially ready to sign off on something they don't entirely understand the ramifications of, and don't want to listen, and don't represent all the rest of us and our trash and best interests, even though the NIMBY ones, with their out-of-towner, and sierra club (well actually the one guy who is the Richardson sierra guy, is that the one who loves development moratoriums) and with their despise of the TCEQ and NTMWD, have convinced some that they represent all of us on the matter of how our trash in Richardson should be handled and how our bills will be increased. They don't. The NIMBYs and radical ones that is. The Councilmen should know that. Not that they have been representing all of us on this either.
For all the right things the NIMBYs and the more balanced activists have echoed and have adopted and claimed, the NIMBYs went overboard, especially with their last email bomb, just as the Mayor and his hand picked ones have.
The "right thing" is not to make the transfer of trash occur miles and miles outside of our city, costing us three times as much. The NIMBY element has always been wrong about wanting to move the transfer of our trash out of our city especially by not caring where it was moved to, just NIMBY. It is also not the right thing to refuse to work with Plano or other city members who share the costs of our trash transfer stations and the expensive cost of the dump up north. Like most things, it needs to be improved, but they were and some still are going overboard with it.
I am not kidding when one of the head NIMBYs who claims to be an environmentalists admitted to not even knowing there was a transfer site there before (not living near it, being a distance from it, not knowing and not caring where NIMBYs trash went).
The NIMBYs just don't want to listen to anything other than them. They have refused to listen to anyone who doesn't agree with them. One of the head NIMBYs who does not live by the transfer location as admitted, smirked and rolled eyes at me when NIMBY asked for my opinon and advice and didn't like what I said. That's real listening. Thanks, you NIMBY! Just like the Councilmen you elected.
The Councilmen and The NIMBYs and the Go Alongs and the Truly Well Meaning at their heels should listen and not join the NIMBYs in their breaking their arms patting themselves on the back. An odd email was sent from the NIMBY in Chief patting profusely among other things. And don't forget the city blast saying an agreement was made when no one knew what it was then, NIMBYs included.
Council should stop being foot draggers, ignorers, blockers, and guards, shirkers and placate'rs on such items. They have collectively quorem'd and grabbed and demanded power but can't see past their own smoke and mirrors some times to use it wisely, except for "special" friends.
As non progressive as NTMWD (staff and member cities) is in many ways (not in all ways, just some), I hope they do not agree to everything the NIMBYs are demanding (by NTMWD, I mean the five city councils and "their representatives" who are part of the trash/dump group, so to speak, of the board of the directors).
The staff of the district is deferred to heavily in regard to operation specifics, because they know, or are supposed to know, things that most of the councils do not.
The city staffs are deferred to heavily because they work with the staff of the NTMWD and know city operations and NTMWD interface operations.
The representatives know more than the Councils typically (not in all cases) about the NTMWD.
The Mayor described Richardson's representates as essentially his representatives, not the citizens' representatives.
The Council somehow seems to be barely in agreement with the demands that they offer to sign off on.
The Mayor indicates that the NTMWD is the last word however it has been said by top staffer that the NTMWD would not do anything with the transfer station that Richardson City Council opposes, but that isn't the same thing as the mayor said in public. But what is.
There has been too much deferring, too little true interest, too much blocking, too much preening, too little leadership on long term city issues with the mayor and deans of the Council.
I suppose now the city wil agree to buy their houses in addition to raising our trash rates three times. That will raise it more than three times. (The mayor seems to want them to go away, that's one way. Bought the houses across from city hall, why not there too? It would make as much sense). This is apart from water rates that will increase.
Both the council and the activists need to rethink a part of their agreements some of which is good, some of which is short sighted and bad. They have gone through a big rigmaroll to get little, some of which was already going to happen yet they are claiming victory for in their carpet email bombs (without permission to use the email addresses from all the email address owners, there was no right to give them to the activist group, much like the Richardson Coalition and City disregards email privacy, yet goes to the Attorney General to redact the Eisemann Petition email addresses, successfully, funny how that works -- no equal protection under the law or rather under city action by the way. The Council is still playing games with the activists and not speaking frankly. "Sign the damn" thing is finally not exactly agreeing but more caving in fully betting that cover can be gotten via the NTMWD but still being annoyed.
Great acting by the way on the part of the rest of the City Council.
And, it was funny, in the not ha ha way, when one activist yelled to move the transfer station out of his back yard (he does not live next to it) and put it in someone else's backyard in Garland. Now that is truly playing NIMBY. That's not being true environmentalists. The activists began by wanting it moved completely but without any care for where the transfer of their trash would be done, just NIMBY. ("What can we fight next?" was voiced by one of the head NIMBYs). They knowingly circulated misinformation. Some of them are still saying NIMBY, all the while some of their homes are built on a bed of trash.
Great ideas were there that they didn't mess with but some have conceded things that are wrong to concede that they don't want to know about, don't care, and are agreeing to things they nor the Council should (or can) agree to. Oh, and forget the rest of us. How grand of them all. One NIMBY complained that regular City Council meetings couldn't be moved to fit NIMBY's schedule, but NIMBY always scheduled to fit NIMBY without much regard to others.
I look forward to the real scheduled public hearing on this matter held by NTMWD when they have the answers ready that the rest of us asked, not the NIMBYs and I hope without the mayor telling all the others on the council and city staff what to say or do and getting back at the ones who try to get the answers. Not that the head NIMBYs ever help matters by slinging mud all over the place including the email just sent which all winds up working in the Mayor and his hand picked court's favor who are playing political games. The head NIMBY is trying to play political games but isn't as good as the Mayor just yet. Thanks, you head NIMBYs. Thanks to you and the Council and "Richardson Coalition" and NTMWD and Sierra Club (the one guy) and TCEQ with an overall unwillingness to listen and to ignore or drum out average residents. You have lost credibility as heads.
Our community needs to learn to deal with its trash, in place, locally transferred, contained, clean up where needed, managed, and deal with reducing trash, reducing costs, increasing composting, getting compost from there for flower beds and gardens, recycling, education for rainwater catchment and solar energy collection with the city being and leading the example in an economically feasible, responsible way over our resources. A user lane at the transfer station and one for the trash trucks when the road is rebuilt along with the containment will make it a true user friendly deal. And continue to work for efficiencies with others (Plano, commercial debris haulers, etc.).
And, city, why are you discouraging babic drop off by limiting it so much? I guess you like the stuff loaded onto the parkway even when the resident doesn't.
Richardson needs to go to once a week city trash pick up because twice is crazy costly and truck trafficky (controversial ideal to go to once a week, yeah, I know).
None of this is probably going to happen that soon with mostly seat fillers who oscillate between being led by the nose or thumbing their nose at tax payers and doing their "special" deals and "strategies" and hiding or blocking information and counting on a regional board or staff to cover for them.
This versus some of the NIMBYs and activists seemingly initially ready to sign off on something they don't entirely understand the ramifications of, and don't want to listen, and don't represent all the rest of us and our trash and best interests, even though the NIMBY ones, with their out-of-towner, and sierra club (well actually the one guy who is the Richardson sierra guy, is that the one who loves development moratoriums) and with their despise of the TCEQ and NTMWD, have convinced some that they represent all of us on the matter of how our trash in Richardson should be handled and how our bills will be increased. They don't. The NIMBYs and radical ones that is. The Councilmen should know that. Not that they have been representing all of us on this either.
For all the right things the NIMBYs and the more balanced activists have echoed and have adopted and claimed, the NIMBYs went overboard, especially with their last email bomb, just as the Mayor and his hand picked ones have.
The "right thing" is not to make the transfer of trash occur miles and miles outside of our city, costing us three times as much. The NIMBY element has always been wrong about wanting to move the transfer of our trash out of our city especially by not caring where it was moved to, just NIMBY. It is also not the right thing to refuse to work with Plano or other city members who share the costs of our trash transfer stations and the expensive cost of the dump up north. Like most things, it needs to be improved, but they were and some still are going overboard with it.
I am not kidding when one of the head NIMBYs who claims to be an environmentalists admitted to not even knowing there was a transfer site there before (not living near it, being a distance from it, not knowing and not caring where NIMBYs trash went).
The NIMBYs just don't want to listen to anything other than them. They have refused to listen to anyone who doesn't agree with them. One of the head NIMBYs who does not live by the transfer location as admitted, smirked and rolled eyes at me when NIMBY asked for my opinon and advice and didn't like what I said. That's real listening. Thanks, you NIMBY! Just like the Councilmen you elected.
The Councilmen and The NIMBYs and the Go Alongs and the Truly Well Meaning at their heels should listen and not join the NIMBYs in their breaking their arms patting themselves on the back. An odd email was sent from the NIMBY in Chief patting profusely among other things. And don't forget the city blast saying an agreement was made when no one knew what it was then, NIMBYs included.
Council should stop being foot draggers, ignorers, blockers, and guards, shirkers and placate'rs on such items. They have collectively quorem'd and grabbed and demanded power but can't see past their own smoke and mirrors some times to use it wisely, except for "special" friends.
As non progressive as NTMWD (staff and member cities) is in many ways (not in all ways, just some), I hope they do not agree to everything the NIMBYs are demanding (by NTMWD, I mean the five city councils and "their representatives" who are part of the trash/dump group, so to speak, of the board of the directors).
The staff of the district is deferred to heavily in regard to operation specifics, because they know, or are supposed to know, things that most of the councils do not.
The city staffs are deferred to heavily because they work with the staff of the NTMWD and know city operations and NTMWD interface operations.
The representatives know more than the Councils typically (not in all cases) about the NTMWD.
The Mayor described Richardson's representates as essentially his representatives, not the citizens' representatives.
The Council somehow seems to be barely in agreement with the demands that they offer to sign off on.
The Mayor indicates that the NTMWD is the last word however it has been said by top staffer that the NTMWD would not do anything with the transfer station that Richardson City Council opposes, but that isn't the same thing as the mayor said in public. But what is.
There has been too much deferring, too little true interest, too much blocking, too much preening, too little leadership on long term city issues with the mayor and deans of the Council.
Monday, November 29, 2010
The Constitution has fallen and it can’t get up. Moratorium and trash. How I could stop worrying and learn to love the Councilman (if he put down the
West Spring Valley Moratorium).
One of the Richardson, Texas, City Councilmen in particular has been rightly and wrongly accused of being lazy and crafty over various things over the last years. He should have gotten off council (a hindrance and seat filler more than a help recently) but I have never heard anyone accuse him of being a liberal fascist, other than one guy who calls everyone a liberal, as if that is a bad thing in all things (don't be stingy with hot sauce on my burrito), and the time the Councilman threatened eminent domain, and I admit I too called him wrong for agreeing to that little threat.
I doubt this Councilman will agree to a moratorium on businesses who want to clean up their act but can't afford to do a whole redo, in this economy especially. This "choke out" moratorium was proposed publicly about a year ago by A Neighborhood Leader, A City Councilman, and a City Plan Commissioner, and an extra CPC'r along for good measure (sounds like the beginning of a bad bar joke). Three of them together (others separately) held private court with the Richardson Coalition Grand Poobah too, in advance of The Council Meeting to present. What? To get clearance for their appearance and "plan" before going before the almost real council?
Where there is Poobah and The Richardson Coalition and their entourage, there always seems to be poo resulting, and a big clean up bill.
Who wouldn't be for cleaning up an area, but a moratorium as suggested, to not even allow facade repair as the one Neighborhood Leader proposes, is way overboard. Oh sure, it can further devalue and make things ripe for pickin' for the right city approved developer friend.
The pressure is great to go fascist, but I hope the Councilman doesn't fold, and I hope the Council does not do this.
This moratorium is not right, it's not the right way to make up for past years or criticisms for such. It may be seen as a sudden rush cure, after twenty years, or one year, a convenient way to accomplish something, like abortion, using a coat hanger at that, or cheating on a spouse for jollies when you don't like the marriage contract or spirit of the constitution or property rights, but it's not.
By the way there has been at least one facade improvement over the last year or so and it looks good and I'm glad you all did not get to stop it.
Oh wait, it is not called fascism if "we" are doing it, in the name of progress, in the name of the environment, what have you.
West Spring Valley, or The West Bank (hey, if a neighborhood can be called "The Reservation," why shouldn't we call a place where moratoriums are put into place "The West Bank?") is sorely in need of attention to follow code, to have a plan (after blocking by "the guard," one of which was the Councilman and by association the "Neighborhood Leader" who supported him year after year), but a moratorium is the wrong way to go about it. It is bad precedent and poor public policy. It is an erosion, despite the immediate expedient goal of building up.
I know and understand the arguments for a moratorium. The arguments are sincere. The need for attention is real, and has been (but blocked by the guard). But a moratorium is bad business to get into, by applying it to a selective part of a city that is receiving attention at a given time. All business owners and residents should keep in mind, if they do it to "them" they can and will do it to you, no matter the reason or the cause or group or what the gain or to whom.
I'm not an ideologue at all, but Liberal Fascism, (edit: okay, or Neo Conservatism or something like that), wrapped in a flag, or rolled up in environmentalism, carrying a cross, or in the name of "redevelopment" should not be such an easy crutch, and a sudden one at that, after years of blocking and feet dragging and no real interest in positive activity by the deans of the Richardson City Council, or their at-all-cost supporters, which include at least one of the moratorium seekers, the biggest one pushing for it.
When the Neighborhood Leader, CPC'er and one Councilman voiced the moratorium idea (will it float?) about a year ago, one might have thought it would not go over with a group of "conservatives" as they like to call themselves (The Current Council). A self imposed neighborhood set of redevelopment rules and protocols and process is to a significant degree different than a moratorium placed on a geographical business area.
Being oblivious versus being led by their noses? How about neither. How about reasonable, even measured progressive (real progressive, not fake progressive) leadership? Or what about true conservative leadership? I know three or four keep saying they want to be bold! But I just don't see a moratorium as bold, I see it as bad.
How about saying "no" to (holiday, rushing) moratoriums and "no" to raising our trash rates threefold (it's coming) and saying "yes" instead to taking reasonable mitigating action that still respects the most number of people long term and not election time sops and holiday rush throughs. How about not leaving it to regional representatives or the mayor's representatives and coming up with something that serves as many people in Richardson as possible.
I hope this Councilman and the others do not agree to use a moratorium on The West Bank to stop the runaway rebuilding going on there now. Oh wait. What rebuilding? The vast number of permits? So what's really going on? It's not like we would be informed or allowed to learn of what is really happening behind the scenes. This surely can't be hurry up and wait.
Play the roles. Take cover. Here it comes.
Topic II: Trash. Edit: I am moving and editing this topic in a separate post above.
One of the Richardson, Texas, City Councilmen in particular has been rightly and wrongly accused of being lazy and crafty over various things over the last years. He should have gotten off council (a hindrance and seat filler more than a help recently) but I have never heard anyone accuse him of being a liberal fascist, other than one guy who calls everyone a liberal, as if that is a bad thing in all things (don't be stingy with hot sauce on my burrito), and the time the Councilman threatened eminent domain, and I admit I too called him wrong for agreeing to that little threat.
I doubt this Councilman will agree to a moratorium on businesses who want to clean up their act but can't afford to do a whole redo, in this economy especially. This "choke out" moratorium was proposed publicly about a year ago by A Neighborhood Leader, A City Councilman, and a City Plan Commissioner, and an extra CPC'r along for good measure (sounds like the beginning of a bad bar joke). Three of them together (others separately) held private court with the Richardson Coalition Grand Poobah too, in advance of The Council Meeting to present. What? To get clearance for their appearance and "plan" before going before the almost real council?
Where there is Poobah and The Richardson Coalition and their entourage, there always seems to be poo resulting, and a big clean up bill.
Who wouldn't be for cleaning up an area, but a moratorium as suggested, to not even allow facade repair as the one Neighborhood Leader proposes, is way overboard. Oh sure, it can further devalue and make things ripe for pickin' for the right city approved developer friend.
The pressure is great to go fascist, but I hope the Councilman doesn't fold, and I hope the Council does not do this.
This moratorium is not right, it's not the right way to make up for past years or criticisms for such. It may be seen as a sudden rush cure, after twenty years, or one year, a convenient way to accomplish something, like abortion, using a coat hanger at that, or cheating on a spouse for jollies when you don't like the marriage contract or spirit of the constitution or property rights, but it's not.
By the way there has been at least one facade improvement over the last year or so and it looks good and I'm glad you all did not get to stop it.
Oh wait, it is not called fascism if "we" are doing it, in the name of progress, in the name of the environment, what have you.
West Spring Valley, or The West Bank (hey, if a neighborhood can be called "The Reservation," why shouldn't we call a place where moratoriums are put into place "The West Bank?") is sorely in need of attention to follow code, to have a plan (after blocking by "the guard," one of which was the Councilman and by association the "Neighborhood Leader" who supported him year after year), but a moratorium is the wrong way to go about it. It is bad precedent and poor public policy. It is an erosion, despite the immediate expedient goal of building up.
I know and understand the arguments for a moratorium. The arguments are sincere. The need for attention is real, and has been (but blocked by the guard). But a moratorium is bad business to get into, by applying it to a selective part of a city that is receiving attention at a given time. All business owners and residents should keep in mind, if they do it to "them" they can and will do it to you, no matter the reason or the cause or group or what the gain or to whom.
I'm not an ideologue at all, but Liberal Fascism, (edit: okay, or Neo Conservatism or something like that), wrapped in a flag, or rolled up in environmentalism, carrying a cross, or in the name of "redevelopment" should not be such an easy crutch, and a sudden one at that, after years of blocking and feet dragging and no real interest in positive activity by the deans of the Richardson City Council, or their at-all-cost supporters, which include at least one of the moratorium seekers, the biggest one pushing for it.
When the Neighborhood Leader, CPC'er and one Councilman voiced the moratorium idea (will it float?) about a year ago, one might have thought it would not go over with a group of "conservatives" as they like to call themselves (The Current Council). A self imposed neighborhood set of redevelopment rules and protocols and process is to a significant degree different than a moratorium placed on a geographical business area.
Being oblivious versus being led by their noses? How about neither. How about reasonable, even measured progressive (real progressive, not fake progressive) leadership? Or what about true conservative leadership? I know three or four keep saying they want to be bold! But I just don't see a moratorium as bold, I see it as bad.
How about saying "no" to (holiday, rushing) moratoriums and "no" to raising our trash rates threefold (it's coming) and saying "yes" instead to taking reasonable mitigating action that still respects the most number of people long term and not election time sops and holiday rush throughs. How about not leaving it to regional representatives or the mayor's representatives and coming up with something that serves as many people in Richardson as possible.
I hope this Councilman and the others do not agree to use a moratorium on The West Bank to stop the runaway rebuilding going on there now. Oh wait. What rebuilding? The vast number of permits? So what's really going on? It's not like we would be informed or allowed to learn of what is really happening behind the scenes. This surely can't be hurry up and wait.
Play the roles. Take cover. Here it comes.
Topic II: Trash. Edit: I am moving and editing this topic in a separate post above.
Thursday, November 25, 2010
After Thanksgiving holiday Monday special co-scheduled mad rush by Council, Plan Commission toward zoning moratorium (Richardson, Texas)
after twenty years, I mean after one year.
That could mean one thing.
That could mean one thing.
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
"The Richardson Coalition: Our recommendations of gynecologists"
Cast away those old notions of Richardson, Texas, being the dry bed of gynecological purveyace and solely phallic in representations. The Richardson Coalition is here to tell you that gynecology is going strong in Richardson and The Richardson Coalition will therefore present its top gyns. As you may have noticed, The RC is always looking for ways to endear itself to you, young hip people and old alike, by associating with nice volunteers who are willing to show up to receive our award and by recommending tasty diners that you already frequent so you will say, "Hey! Me too!"If you say, "Hey, Me too!" to this, why not keep agreeing to everything else we recommend no matter what you have been hearing and seeing that's true! Consultants agree! And now we move from dining to gyning in the wonderful medical profession.
The Richardson Coalition, Gynecologists for hire recommendations
1. Dr. Tracey. Richard, although technically retired from the bench, has been in practice for over ninety years. Some complain of his shaking hands, but others seem to have no problem with it, going back for repeated visits, even when medical guidelines suggest no need to do so. Dr. Tracey, or Richard, as he is known in The RC circle, has donated generously to The RC and we reciprocate so therefore rank him #1 on our list.
2. Dr. Lichman. This is one known doctor we found in the phone book. He has agreed to be listed and agrees to The Richardson Way. He has agreed not to be associated in any way with grass roots and that is music to our symphonic ears!
3. Dr. Frost E. Fingers. While he gets a lot of complaints, we think those complaints are merely reactionary from a few troublemakers. We take acception (sic) to the wimpy complainers and for the person who wrote Dr. Fingers saying, "A male gynecologist is like an auto mechanic who has never owned an automobile," we claim to agree, however, we just don't care about much as long as we can be mayor, so sign the damn release form. We will agree to whatever, if you will. We can always change it later.
4. Dr. V. J. Jay. He has a bad reputation among us but we are all about diversity so we are including him, despite objections to ourself. We can always get rid of him from our list if he gives us any trouble.
5. Dr. S. P. Redum, M.D., STD, VD. He is the most popular having infected many with his bedside matter (sic).
6. Colonel Angus. The Colonel is not officially licensed as a medical practitioner, but he is in business with someone on our, The Executive Foundation, so we figured why not put him on our, The Richardson Coalition, list.
7. Dr. Kosopolus. We don't know much about him other than word of mouth that he is very expensive to the point of being exhorbitant and his work tends to be sloppy, but nonetheless we think if we recommend him we will pick up the Grecian vote and keep our numbers strong and he has agreed with our non gynecological stipulations on down the road which is what matters most.
8. Dr. C. O. Jones. He has many aggressive techniques that we only wish we had. He has given his oath to The RC, so look for his name change coming soon!
9. Father Smear. While Father Smear has no medical experience, we find his work in the seminary admirable sounding. He is well known among all ages and is best known as Pap. That's close enough for us to sound popular and we know you'll agree!
10. Dr. Hands. Cole is the son in law of one of our Richardson Coalition Key Members, so he's on our recommend list by default and will be awarded a contract too before you know it despite the more qualified practitioners all claiming otherwise!
There you have it! So go out and gyn, dine, and shine in style in Richardson thanks to recommendations of The Richardson Coalition who can be trusted! We know you will find yourself saying, "Hey, me too!"
Monday, November 15, 2010
Oklahoma Anti-discriminatory Mascot Act 2009 (Senate Bill 765), blogging from Richardson, Texas
Oklahoma week on the blog (part deux) continues.The school nickname of the Dartmouth College team called Dartmouth Indians could just as easily be called the Dartmouth Africans.
Or the Dartmouth Chippendales (like a reverse sexualization of those trucker mud flaps but only put them all over the place, in front yards, on flag poles, on t-shirts and uniforms, saturating the stadium on game night. School spirit!
Why stop there? Put them on government vehicles, like it would look cool if the Post Office used something like that, some tricked out logo flaps to compete with the lurid attraction of email. And school buses could use some spiffing up too, proudly flapping around).
Or, the traditional Indian cane bought (at a pretty price) and passed out at commencement could be a wood stick with an African representation on it, something that looks like Miss Jane Pittman (as portrayed by the incredible Cicely Tyson near the end of the movie when she gets really, really old), for instance. Why should generic "Indians" from North America get all the attention?
The term "The Reservation" used for a Richardson, TX, neighborhood with streets that have names like Mohawk and Cherokee is not being used as an effort to be offensive these days, but I can see how it could come across that way and especially so in future times or to people who may not get why a non Native American, non exclusive housing area would use a Native American symbol and have labels in masonry calling the place, The Reservation. The neighborhood already had a name (now what was that?) but the slang name of "The Reservation" stuck because the *honky population thought it was fun and appropriate?
(*By honky, I partially mean *rednecks. *And by rednecks, I slightly mean hardworking engineers and who-have-you from Oklahoma state and family farms of various mid-westerny and westerny names like Durant, Tulsa, Sallisaw, Okemeh, Eufaula, Neosho Falls, Shawnee...).
The historical connotation (and present day harsh reality of some) of the reservations isn't necessarily a calming thought, to everyone. Thankfully, it is losing that connotation (somewhat), but it's not there yet probably, or else why any fuss at all.
Maybe it has something to do with religion or spirituality, and the use of cultural symbols that aren't of the culture of the people using them, even if meant in homage or respect. Or something else. Another point of view: Indian Reservations: The Last Remaining Bastians of Segregation.
The context and collaboration by which something is used can make all the difference. It's like bffs can call each other stuff, but if you don't have a club membership, someone could go all Kanye (Con Yay) West on you (not that anyone is very sure what's up with that).
In this video below, near the end, the face painting, much like when light skinned people would paint their faces black to mimic, is not seen as offensive in the least, by those doing it that is. The phrase "well, I didn't know" and the phrase, "well, now you know" is used.Is it hypersensitive for anyone concerned about this kind of thing? (It's not like when I stuff my bra and pretend I'm triple D, right? No offense against you big breasteses people). It's not like when a group makes one of themselves their mascot (self-named).
Or is it insinsitivity and ignorance on the part of those who do this kind of thing?
Anyway, pretty soon, it will be mainly women who can still be stereotyped to the point of being excluded (or negatively included or flapped around) institutionally (like in government and schools and corporations and car design and history and language) if we have to give up our other institutionalized stereotypes. No wait, there's always the Amish (those fake fire flicker real heaters work but boy do they cost more. Way to go, you Amish!).
Here is a positive comforting picture of actors acting like hard working Amish (as opposed to foreign Chinese in China where the guts of the heater are made) right before the Amish load the heaters onto the horse drawn wagon one at a time, with the regular horse acting like an Amish horse. I know the part about the horse drawn wagon is true as I saw it in the infomercial.
I don't think America's institutions and employers are post discrimination, yet. When they are, I can call you a whore at work like Gov. Jerry Brown's campaign and get away with it.
Seriously, I hope America is never without diversity, which probably means at least some discrimination against people based on color, ethnicity, race, gender, sex, etc. is here as opposed to more appropriate discrimination, like against violent criminals and extortionists and theives (sick) (sic).
Anyway, how 'bout those Slaves! I heard they lost 7-0! I'm going to sit on my roof until they win one.
As for you Amish, get back to work because I am cold (and I've run out of insulation for my house cracks) and also because you don't pay into the Federal Social Security system, so I hear, and that makes you either extremely clever or anti-government.
Also, I would like to start my own casino but instead of playing with plastic, I would deal in chocolate covered potato chips (chips I like) from Bedre (like I bought ten years ago at Neiman Marcus, which I think they still had the hyphen or dash between the words in their name like this, Neiman-Marcus, but didn't realized that you Indians* made the chips up in OK. Tricky. Very tricky. *And by Indians, I mean Native Americans, not necessarily the majority of people staffing the store in public, OK.)
Watch the video all the way through, OK.
P.S. I am waiting to see if the J.J. Pearce HOA will approve my counter intuitive plea to put a menorah ensignia on at least half of the sign toppers in the neighborhood, to stay competitive with the adjacent neighborhood and their Native American spiritual symbol (thanks, you Reservation People for causing more work for the rest of us). The majority has not objected (although, technically, the vast majority know nothing of this, or of the other things they know nothing of).
I am also waiting to see if the two Richardson, TX, councilmen who have regularly used the phrase, "he's off the reservation, again" (to describe the two double A battrees and a couple of other guys in town, three who don't even live on The Reservation) will feel as comfortable saying that phrase, as in, what different phrase will they use in public now, one that will feel as comfortable but still be macho, and pleasingly non PC, and insulting, in a fakey-conservativey way (like, "he's being a b_ _ _ _, again" perhaps). Lots to choose from.
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Turner Falls (Davis, Oklahoma) is a great place to take the kids (and the big kids). Also there's Chocolate and Toys in the Land of OK, alright.
It's two hours north (from Richardson, Texas). Going off season means you won't be swimming in the falls, but the admission is significantly less expensive.
And you could throw in a visit to the fledgling Toy and Action Figure Museum (for the kids of course), $6. It's 35 minutes more north. It was through a community visioning exercise that the Museum came to be and it is an example of a small community trying to bring in tourist dollars. Around the same area (Pauls Valley, OK) are the little Amtrak station (Heartland Flyer runs OKC to FT Worth) and Bedre Chocolate Factory (Chickasaw Nation).
And you could throw in a visit to the fledgling Toy and Action Figure Museum (for the kids of course), $6. It's 35 minutes more north. It was through a community visioning exercise that the Museum came to be and it is an example of a small community trying to bring in tourist dollars. Around the same area (Pauls Valley, OK) are the little Amtrak station (Heartland Flyer runs OKC to FT Worth) and Bedre Chocolate Factory (Chickasaw Nation).
Friday, November 5, 2010
Richardson Texas beware Fictional "Double A Battrees" (what anti-g's call two newies runnin round calibratin Richardson's historical record-ation and
verbal history, allegedly. Warning, do not view the video (or hang out with Richardson's elite politicos) if you can not bear some foul language and puke. Video credits are listed in the video.
This enactment video of (science) history is arguably more historically accurate than the fictitional Double A Battree's proposed real versions of hyper-local Richardson, Texas, current events and history, allegedly.
click four-way arrow above to view in full screen
This enactment video of (science) history is arguably more historically accurate than the fictitional Double A Battree's proposed real versions of hyper-local Richardson, Texas, current events and history, allegedly.
click four-way arrow above to view in full screen
Thursday, November 4, 2010
It sucks when people find themselves unable to work to provide for themselves or didn't plan for adequate financial security. But I think the idea of
suing the government for back welfare is not good.
I recently heard where some senior and disabled ladies at a subsidized apartment complex were getting high utility bills that were not supposed to go beyond 30% of their checks and they got a lawyer to get their promised benefits. The electricity bills were plus or minus $100. High amounts for low, fixed incomes, I agree. The electricity costs are high for everyone around here especially in the summer for A/C. They got the ball rolling and their subsidy for utilities was tripled. One of them complained about not having been able to buy Christmas presents in past years and now they are having their lawyer sue our government to pay them back welfare subsidies.
There were and are years when a lot of people who weren't or aren't on government programs could not or cannot afford to run the AC that much, even when it is hot, or buy Christmas presents. But suing the government for back welfare is not good. The attitude of either end of the spectrum is growing more radical. Both ends seem to be growing larger and both think they are entitled to things that aren't theirs, whether it be back welfare subsidies or corporate welfare enticement giveaways with no clawback or responsibility attached or not enforced.
I recently heard where some senior and disabled ladies at a subsidized apartment complex were getting high utility bills that were not supposed to go beyond 30% of their checks and they got a lawyer to get their promised benefits. The electricity bills were plus or minus $100. High amounts for low, fixed incomes, I agree. The electricity costs are high for everyone around here especially in the summer for A/C. They got the ball rolling and their subsidy for utilities was tripled. One of them complained about not having been able to buy Christmas presents in past years and now they are having their lawyer sue our government to pay them back welfare subsidies.
There were and are years when a lot of people who weren't or aren't on government programs could not or cannot afford to run the AC that much, even when it is hot, or buy Christmas presents. But suing the government for back welfare is not good. The attitude of either end of the spectrum is growing more radical. Both ends seem to be growing larger and both think they are entitled to things that aren't theirs, whether it be back welfare subsidies or corporate welfare enticement giveaways with no clawback or responsibility attached or not enforced.
No real surprises in Dallas County voting, a pattern of straight party, partisan, demographic voting
R straight party voting was 132,079 and D straight party voting was 152,377. Oddly, "Libertarian" had straight party voting, which was 1, 372. Green Party was 350.
Over 424K voted in the Gov. race in D county (White 55%, Perry 43%)
Noticed a number of crooks and sign stealers were re elected. It must be like the old phrase, "short of murder."
Not every one who is eligible is registered to vote. Of those registered around these North Texas parts, about 37% cast a ballot in the mid-term election.
What happened and aftermath in the rest of the country was slightly more interesting with an R sweep.
I'm not a witch.
M-U-R-K-O-W-S-K-I (Moo)
In Feingold's Loss, Independents Turn On One of Their Own
BAYONETS! "You need to leave here understanding one word. BAYONETS!" - Lt. Col. now Congressman-elect (FL) Allen West
We are all bigots now! by Ann Coulter
"I saw the helpless Cherokees arrested and dragged from their homes, and driven at the bayonet point into the stockades." - Private John G. Burnett, Captain Abraham McClellan's Company, 2nd Regiment, 2nd Brigade, Mounted Infantry, Cherokee Indian Removal 1838-39
"If The Girl Scouts of America can't get back to teaching real character, perhaps it will be time to look for our cookies elsewhere."
Noticed a number of crooks and sign stealers were re elected. It must be like the old phrase, "short of murder."
Not every one who is eligible is registered to vote. Of those registered around these North Texas parts, about 37% cast a ballot in the mid-term election.
What happened and aftermath in the rest of the country was slightly more interesting with an R sweep.
I'm not a witch.
M-U-R-K-O-W-S-K-I (Moo)
In Feingold's Loss, Independents Turn On One of Their Own
BAYONETS! "You need to leave here understanding one word. BAYONETS!" - Lt. Col. now Congressman-elect (FL) Allen West
We are all bigots now! by Ann Coulter
"I saw the helpless Cherokees arrested and dragged from their homes, and driven at the bayonet point into the stockades." - Private John G. Burnett, Captain Abraham McClellan's Company, 2nd Regiment, 2nd Brigade, Mounted Infantry, Cherokee Indian Removal 1838-39
"If The Girl Scouts of America can't get back to teaching real character, perhaps it will be time to look for our cookies elsewhere."
One minute, 17 seconds.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
2010 Texas and Dallas County General Election. Blogging from Richardson, Texas
First, some comments on the 2010 Texas, Dallas County (and Collin County) General Election contests.This one is the Dallas County edition (mainly) because all but a few readers who have said anything are in Dallas County.
Not my district, but Stephen Broden the man running in US TX District 30 looks to be unendorsed now by many people due to disconcerting statements he has made recently.
As for the incumbent he is challenging, it's sick (in the bad way) that Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson passed out scholarship money to her relatives, some who didn't even live in the district.
Too bad there's not a way for voters to have an immediate do over with all this coming out right at election time. Of course, one can argue that the financial impact is minor compared to some bad policy over the years.
It is going to be hard to ever trust someone who is known to do something like that which is such an easily knowable violation (no way to squirm out of that one, Rep. Johnson). And Stephen Broden is going to have a hard time convincing people he didn't mean what he said.
It's also a shame that in the General Election, it's the more partisan of the candidates that come into it out of the two major (only two major) primaries and not necessary the best candidates.
I would like to see preference voting on election day. More candidates (qualified). Less party hacks (who would elect a dead person than vote across the isle types), more moderates. More parties (and I don't mean campaign happy hour drinking parties because there are already tons, I mean more options as in more choices that increase the chances of qualified thinking leadership).
About the open SBOE District 12 race, I am going with Amie Parsons.
The relationship between SBOE and The General Land Office as it relates to school funding (derived from the Permanent School Fund and its further reinvestments) is interesting.
For General Land Office Commissioner, the (two leading) candidates have more in common than most candidates. Both are former state senators and both have deep Texas roots. Both seem competent. While I like Jerry Patterson as an administrator, I think Hector Uribe could make more money for public schools (from The Permanent School Fund's land and land energy related investments and underwater lands [like off shore rights up to ten miles out into the Gulf too] in the long run by having additional energy production arrangements and leases (in addition to traditional oil and gas).
A time will come when Texas will wish that it had been as assertive as countries like Spain in investing in alternative and augmenting energy. While the goal is to make maximum return with the least risk, there is also a responsibility about how to maintain and source sustaining investments off the land resources and keep the money flowing in for a long time. (Portfolio diversification. And an added benefit of helping to augment traditional energy sources and reduce reliance on foreign sources of energy).
If the SBOE can invest a small portion of its subsequent spending and reinvestment in charter schools (through SBOE asset investment in commercial real estate), then couldn't it along with the Land Office support investing likewise of a small fraction each in emerging energy production off the Permanent School Fund land resources and other SBOE assets through leases?
(By the way, under the SBOE asset investment arrangement in charter schools, it has been explained by a SBOE Member that the state would hold title to the property and the charter school would not have to pay local ISD, county and city property taxes. That is an interesting note if accurate. )
In a key race in Collin County for the Commissioners Court Judge seat between Judge Keith Self and Former Plano Councilman David Smith, I would say I agree with the endorsements that have been going out to Smith and normally I think he would be better in terms of getting what needs to be done, done, and in a fiscally responsibly manner (as proven by his service) and he is a respectful politician. My only concern is if he could stand up to people who come knocking for stuff that the Collin County Commissioner's Court should not agree to. If he could express that he has a backbone, because he is a super nice guy, I would say Smith is the way to go. I say this because I would trust that Smith would give more accurate information than Judge Keith Self has on issues overall. Otherwise, it's back to contrarian politicizing (sometimes said to be downright misleading) Judge Keith Self who has created mixed results in my opinion. It doesn't mean I still don't admire some things he has done (and cringe at others).
If I were given only one gold star to give to an elected official in Dallas or Collin County, it would be (Dallas) District Clerk Gary Fitzsimmons, who understands customer service and has been working to improve District Clerk Office efficiencies. He should be re-elected for another term.
Dr. Elba Garcia's web site for Dallas Commissioner Place, above average. Commissioner Kenneth Mayfield's demeanor these days, below average. He has approached the demeanor of John Wiley. That's a shame.
By the way, all this talk about voter fraud and vote supression and voter I.D., go ahead and pass voter I.D. and people just need to be prepared, care enough about voting, plan ahead, grab that I.D., bring I.D. when voting. I understand both sides. It needs to be handled. Anyway, we should all be able to vote online at home or from work or from where we want soon (from overseas as Americans if needed/stationed there, etc.) in addition to in person (one of these days).
I know it's about party, but I didn't like the mailer Sen. John Carona sent around that I was shown that says to vote a partisan ticket. I recommend the opposite. Vote each race. It's bad advice to be told to vote straight party especially in local races where for the most part competence matters way more than any ideological frame. It is rare to find any of the politicians who don't go telling you to vote all one party, other than a few of the judicial candidates.
Speaking of judicial candidates, here is an interesting article about "resign-to-run" from Dallas News (Dallas County public defender's proposed 'resign-to-run' policy has judicial candidates in her office crying foul).
Selected Races:
Opposed races (I am leaving out unopposed races and declared elected positions, except to say that while Judge Dennise Garcia is unopposed in the general, I hope she gets many votes for re-election to Judge of Family District 303 Judicial District).
The lines drawn under a few of the races means I haven't finished making my opinion as of this posting about that race.
Several of these were very close. I have listened to candidates in 40 of the below 50+ contests. That means there are some I have never met in person but have read about, seen video of, read their statements or web sites. If I were to learn of any new verifiable information that I do not have, my opinion could change based on new information.
Speaking of which, thanks to the LWV of Texas (Richardson, Dallas); Dallas News; Committee for a Qualified Judiciary (CQJ); Dallas County Elections Department; Collin County Elections Department; Dallas Bar Association; The Parties; various other news sources and volunteer groups and individuals, and the candidates and their campaigns for the information that they helped provide now and prior.
US Rep. Dist 32
John Jay Myers
Governor
Bill White
Lt. Gov.
David Dewhurst
Attorney General
Barbara Ann Radnofsky
Comptroller
Susan Combs
Commissioner of the General Land Office
Hector Uribe
Commissioner of Agriculture
Todd Staples
Railroad Commissioner
Jeff Weems
Justice Supreme Court Pl 3
Debra Lehmann
Justice Supreme Court Place 5
Bill Moody
Justice Supreme Court Place 9
Blake Bailey
Judge Court of Criminal Appeals Place 2
Lawrence "Larry" Myers
Judge, Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 5
Cheryl Johnson
Judge, Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 6
Keith Hampton
Member State Board of Education, District 12
Amie Parsons
Speaking of judicial candidates, here is an interesting article about "resign-to-run" from Dallas News (Dallas County public defender's proposed 'resign-to-run' policy has judicial candidates in her office crying foul).
Selected Races:
Opposed races (I am leaving out unopposed races and declared elected positions, except to say that while Judge Dennise Garcia is unopposed in the general, I hope she gets many votes for re-election to Judge of Family District 303 Judicial District).
The lines drawn under a few of the races means I haven't finished making my opinion as of this posting about that race.
Several of these were very close. I have listened to candidates in 40 of the below 50+ contests. That means there are some I have never met in person but have read about, seen video of, read their statements or web sites. If I were to learn of any new verifiable information that I do not have, my opinion could change based on new information.
Speaking of which, thanks to the LWV of Texas (Richardson, Dallas); Dallas News; Committee for a Qualified Judiciary (CQJ); Dallas County Elections Department; Collin County Elections Department; Dallas Bar Association; The Parties; various other news sources and volunteer groups and individuals, and the candidates and their campaigns for the information that they helped provide now and prior.
US Rep. Dist 32
John Jay Myers
Governor
Bill White
Lt. Gov.
David Dewhurst
Attorney General
Barbara Ann Radnofsky
Comptroller
Susan Combs
Commissioner of the General Land Office
Hector Uribe
Commissioner of Agriculture
Todd Staples
Railroad Commissioner
Jeff Weems
Justice Supreme Court Pl 3
Debra Lehmann
Justice Supreme Court Place 5
Bill Moody
Justice Supreme Court Place 9
Blake Bailey
Judge Court of Criminal Appeals Place 2
Lawrence "Larry" Myers
Judge, Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 5
Cheryl Johnson
Judge, Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 6
Keith Hampton
Member State Board of Education, District 12
Amie Parsons
Chief Justice 5th Court of Appeals District Place 4
Lana Myers
Justice 5th Court of Appeals District, Place 12
Robert "Bob" M. Fillmore
District Judge, 44th Judicial District
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District Judge, 116th, Judicial District
Dale B. Tillery
District Judge 191 Judicial District
Gena Slaughter
District Judge 193 Judicial District
Carl Ginsberg
District Judge 194 Judicial District
Ernest White
District Judge 203rd Judicial District
Jennifer Balido
District Judge 254 Judicial District
James Martin
District Judge 256 Judicial District
David Lopez
District Judge 265 Judicial District
Mark Stoltz
District Judge 283 Judicial District
Rick Magnis
District Judge 292 Judicial District
Larry Mitchell
District Judge 298 Judicial District
Emily G. Tobolowsky
Family District Judge, 301 Judicial District
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Family District Judge 302 Judicial District
Tena Callahan
Family District Judge 303 Judicial District
Dennise Garcia
Family District Judge 304 Judicial District
William "Bill" A. Mazur Jr.
Family District Judge 330 Judicial District
Marilea W. Lewis
County Defense Attorney
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County Judge
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Judge County Court at Law No. 1
Russell Roden
Judge County Court at Law No. 3
John Goren
Judge County Court at Law No. 5
Mark Greenberg
Judge County Criminal Court No 2
Julia Hayes
Judge County Criminal Court No 3
Doug Skemp
Judge County Crininal Court No 4
Teresa Tolle
Judge Country Criminal Court No 5
Etta J. Mullin
Judge County Criminal Court No 6
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Judge County Criminal Court No 7
Elizabeth Crowder
Judge County Criminal Court No 8
Tina Yoo
Judge County Crininal Court No 9
Peggy Hoffman
Judge County Criminal Court No. 10
Roberto Canas
Judge County Criminal Court of Appeals No 2
Jeffrey Rosenfield
Judge County Probate Court No 2
Chris Wilmoth
District Clerk
Gary Fitzsimmons
County Clerk
John F. Warren
County Treasurer
Joe Wells
The JP's and Constable(s) should support customer service improvements across the board but unfortunately not all of them have made sufficient strides in modernizing their offices and doing simple things like always arranging that the phone is answered when it rings (and rings). At least one of them in Dallas County curses like a sailor in front of anyone and everyone, including the media. (Do that on your own time if you wanna.) At least one of them campaigns from the bench. None of these behaviors are good law enforcement or judicial images to put forth. In some cases where there is a competent alternative or at least seemingly so, that is the one I would prefer. Some of them do not seem to know enough about the law. Have some of them become complacent and forgotten how to treat citizens? I would say more than one has.
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If you are a candidate and feel I have overlooked you, then you can email me and let me know and I will print your statement or information (within reason). Like I said, in a few cases, it was a close consideration on what information and impressions I have.
If you are a candidate and want to agree with me, you can email me and let me know. I will print your statement or information likewise (within reason).
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