certain sort of way, but in part by being the stereotype.
Her companies are the number one employer in Pigeon Forge, TN (3,500 employees) and Dollywood is the state's number one (organized) tourist attraction. A great business woman (the "Iron Butterfly") who followed her instincts, dreams and talents. Yes, she had to put up with some things, but she did it. She has had ups and downs and changes, but doesn't seem to forget where she came from. Her dad, she describes as highly intelligent and down to earth and some of her other family, never learned to read or write, which lead to her involvement in literacy for children some time back. Humorous (calling herself and a recent album Backwoods Barbie, admitting to over-the-top branding by, in most ways, just claiming who she was and wanted to be), grateful, and giving back when she got into a position to do so.
Now, not all of us have an amazing lilting singing voice or the nerve for the ta-ta's she does, but we all have something, either physical, mental, personality or all, men and women alike, that is special.
Some criticize country music for being "backwards" toward women, which is true of most any genre, but while some women burned bras others women told it like it was too (but couldn't exactly get with a program that involved burning the bra).
Check out Dolly here back in 1967. I can't help but love Porter's bling bling suits too. I would say despite the wigs, makeup and cosmetic surgery (talking about Dolly, not Porter) that she openly discusses, she's pretty real. The interview was fun to see this morning.
Check out her wiki. There are some things in there I had never heard about her career before reading it. She worked a lot more than just 9 to 5.
I remember trying to sing to her Love is Like A Butterfly, Jolene, and others. Momma came by my bedroom door one time and tossed me a hairbrush for a microphone. Busted.
But, I had never heard this one before today. It is not in her lilting style, more like in her later 9 to 5 style. Your Ol' Handyman (1967).
And I never heard this one either until now. Dolly in 1970. Early Morning Breeze.
This one is a very sweet one. You might need to turn up your volume to hear this one. Just remember to turn your sound back down when you are done, so it won't blast at you the next time you use your speakers.
Check out her music and activities here.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
As I Predicted, "Millions Saved" by City of Richardson via Bond Refinance. Please Apply The "Savings" Float To Reduce Debt And Tax Bill. Thank You.
I wrote about how this float occurs previously.
City of Richardson, Texas, is "saving" four million by refinancing some bonds ($28.3M, includes some refi on Performing Ctr debt) and getting a great interest rate on them (and on latest borrowing, $66M + $18.5M).
Dear City Council, please do not absorb the "savings" into spending, as you usually do. This "savings" means the tax bill to tax payers can be subsequently reduced. The tax bill and debt also can be further reduced (and paid down) by "savings" from not spending the 30% padding placed on all the projects. Don't absorb that "savings" either. Also, thanks to increased sales tax collections over budgeted amounts (announced more than once), you can further reduce the tax bill to tax payers. Given all the outstanding expected news, there should be no need to raise taxes at all, certainly no more than three percent to cover the projects that received voter approval! Unless you were planning on covering other stuff and that's why the increase needs to be that "more" number you used.
By the way, in the future, it would be best if you did not include operational items in a long term capital budget. You have pushed off short term costs into long term debt financing, thereby costing tax payers more. We could have a lot more than we do.
Also, I get that each time now you need us to ask for more projects to round out the borrowing, the bigger the better, so you can raise the amount of bonds sold and increase float to cover operations spending by generating "savings," and make more of us party to it, but it might be better to define all the specific projects before selling the debt for all of them instead of selling the debt (going into debt), then doing a "call for projects" to define some of the specific projects. Of course, then you couldn't create so much suspense, competition, and entertainment value for neighborhoods, or hold it over us.
Please post all the checking and credit card account spending and debt tracking online where we may see where the "savings" is going. Several times it has been noted that spending has been used for purposes in addition to the projects they were listed for, treating the "savings" as "essentially free money" (a term said by city hall staffman explaining the magik).
This is related to economic development. Due to the lack of accounting in advance, or budgeting, for an identified Economic Development budget or spending for all such deals, money is "found" in an ad hoc fashion. Where does this money come from? "Sweep" or "savings." Where does money come from that is spent on unbudgeted items? Same place? All ultimately comes from tax payers and their resources.
If you and the majority of residents believe in paying money to developers (or just friends of yours) to entice them to build in Richardson's prime locations, and otherwise, hang out, then please state the policy parameters, set a budget and track it, in public. Also have stronger clawback provisions and mitigation plan for the downside effects instead of passing those on to tax payers too, and actually enforce the provisions. Having an identified budget and process (among other things) would help prevent a senairo such as this:
A man on a mayor's campaign committee is named by such a mayor as needing money from such a city, $20,000. They want to get a certain not for profit organization to use his space in a retail development. That's why he needs city money, to get the space ready for the not for profit. The not for profit who would receive part of the city benefit is not made to go through the public process to receive city funding like other not for profit organizations would do when seeking city funds. Despite the organization winding up going somewhere else and being upset at such a mayor's campaign committeeman /developer who wouldn't pass on the swag, and upset at such a mayor, it is still a bad way to try to squeeze it in.
Did such a mayor's campaign committeeman friend get the money anyway? The results are not posted anywhere. How would anyone but the players know where tax payers money goes? Maybe it paid for a flight somewhere? A steak dinner with Rep. Linda Harper Brown? Who knows? How would anyone know? The news says she at least returned the Mercedes involved in her other dealings. A transportation chair, indeed.
If such a mayor says there is not a public process to fit what he is doing with things like this, it is too slow or whatever, then either such a city doesn't need to be doing that or a policy should be established that applies to the situations where anyone wants to be considered for such treatment (to receive such a city's tax payer funds) and it should be more a public process than it is.
City of Richardson, Texas, is "saving" four million by refinancing some bonds ($28.3M, includes some refi on Performing Ctr debt) and getting a great interest rate on them (and on latest borrowing, $66M + $18.5M).
Dear City Council, please do not absorb the "savings" into spending, as you usually do. This "savings" means the tax bill to tax payers can be subsequently reduced. The tax bill and debt also can be further reduced (and paid down) by "savings" from not spending the 30% padding placed on all the projects. Don't absorb that "savings" either. Also, thanks to increased sales tax collections over budgeted amounts (announced more than once), you can further reduce the tax bill to tax payers. Given all the outstanding expected news, there should be no need to raise taxes at all, certainly no more than three percent to cover the projects that received voter approval! Unless you were planning on covering other stuff and that's why the increase needs to be that "more" number you used.
By the way, in the future, it would be best if you did not include operational items in a long term capital budget. You have pushed off short term costs into long term debt financing, thereby costing tax payers more. We could have a lot more than we do.
Also, I get that each time now you need us to ask for more projects to round out the borrowing, the bigger the better, so you can raise the amount of bonds sold and increase float to cover operations spending by generating "savings," and make more of us party to it, but it might be better to define all the specific projects before selling the debt for all of them instead of selling the debt (going into debt), then doing a "call for projects" to define some of the specific projects. Of course, then you couldn't create so much suspense, competition, and entertainment value for neighborhoods, or hold it over us.
Please post all the checking and credit card account spending and debt tracking online where we may see where the "savings" is going. Several times it has been noted that spending has been used for purposes in addition to the projects they were listed for, treating the "savings" as "essentially free money" (a term said by city hall staffman explaining the magik).
This is related to economic development. Due to the lack of accounting in advance, or budgeting, for an identified Economic Development budget or spending for all such deals, money is "found" in an ad hoc fashion. Where does this money come from? "Sweep" or "savings." Where does money come from that is spent on unbudgeted items? Same place? All ultimately comes from tax payers and their resources.
If you and the majority of residents believe in paying money to developers (or just friends of yours) to entice them to build in Richardson's prime locations, and otherwise, hang out, then please state the policy parameters, set a budget and track it, in public. Also have stronger clawback provisions and mitigation plan for the downside effects instead of passing those on to tax payers too, and actually enforce the provisions. Having an identified budget and process (among other things) would help prevent a senairo such as this:
A man on a mayor's campaign committee is named by such a mayor as needing money from such a city, $20,000. They want to get a certain not for profit organization to use his space in a retail development. That's why he needs city money, to get the space ready for the not for profit. The not for profit who would receive part of the city benefit is not made to go through the public process to receive city funding like other not for profit organizations would do when seeking city funds. Despite the organization winding up going somewhere else and being upset at such a mayor's campaign committeeman /developer who wouldn't pass on the swag, and upset at such a mayor, it is still a bad way to try to squeeze it in.
Did such a mayor's campaign committeeman friend get the money anyway? The results are not posted anywhere. How would anyone but the players know where tax payers money goes? Maybe it paid for a flight somewhere? A steak dinner with Rep. Linda Harper Brown? Who knows? How would anyone know? The news says she at least returned the Mercedes involved in her other dealings. A transportation chair, indeed.
If such a mayor says there is not a public process to fit what he is doing with things like this, it is too slow or whatever, then either such a city doesn't need to be doing that or a policy should be established that applies to the situations where anyone wants to be considered for such treatment (to receive such a city's tax payer funds) and it should be more a public process than it is.
Sunday, June 27, 2010
What is The Authority of City of Richardson, Texas, to Issue Debt _Without_ Voter Approval According To Charter And According To State Code
Re-posting this, read here: What is The Authority of City of Richardson, Texas, to Issue Debt Without Voter Approval According To Charter And According To State Code
Dear Richardson TX Council, "Report on Items Of Community Interest" is not adequate agenda posting topic.
As requested numerous times, please refrain from using this vague, catchall agenda term. Your attorney may tell you it is appropriate, but given past abused, and given that it can be all too easy to "slip" into non posted items, even if someone isn't meaning to do wrong. Please specify what items of community interest you will report on. Thank you.
Update: The Council for the most part, with only a few exceptions, appears to be refraining and trying hard to keep from "discussion" to the significant degree that they have over the years under the vague, catchall agenda listings. That is a step in the correct direction however it should not be used as an excuse to not post items of interest on the agenda and discuss them "offline" and filtering and slanting the items as opposed to discussing them properly and honestly in public.
Update: The Council for the most part, with only a few exceptions, appears to be refraining and trying hard to keep from "discussion" to the significant degree that they have over the years under the vague, catchall agenda listings. That is a step in the correct direction however it should not be used as an excuse to not post items of interest on the agenda and discuss them "offline" and filtering and slanting the items as opposed to discussing them properly and honestly in public.
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Farmers And Makers Market For Richardson, Texas. The Unscientific Poll Results Thus Far, _ Update #2 _
Three weeks ago, I ran a poll.
Here are the results, to date.
I am leaving the poll up so anyone who has not voted may vote. You only vote once. If you have already voted, you cannot vote again.
Do you feel you like the idea of a Farmers and Makers Market for Richardson, Texas?
Votes*
Yes 98% (42)
No 2% (1)
43 votes total
*Results as of June 26 (AM)
Here are the results, to date.
I am leaving the poll up so anyone who has not voted may vote. You only vote once. If you have already voted, you cannot vote again.
Do you feel you like the idea of a Farmers and Makers Market for Richardson, Texas?
Votes*
Yes 98% (42)
No 2% (1)
43 votes total
*Results as of June 26 (AM)
Friday, June 25, 2010
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Jury Duty Process. Ugh. Oye Vey.
Why do I keep getting called for jury duty and no one around me here is getting called as often as I have been according to them and why is the court system so unorganized when it comes to handling jury service?
Part of the reason, I learn, is that since the pool comes from two lists, the Driver's License roll and the Voter Registration roll, one should put her Driver's License number on her Voter Registration roll information to basically keep from being "double pooled." (I guess the problems with combining the lists are insurmontable, more so than putting up with the inequitableness of the process. Not enough people have complained, enough?). That could only explain part of it however.
In a group of ten of us discussing this a couple of months ago at dinner, only two of us had been called more than once in the last ten years, some had never been called. All registered voters and licensed drivers.
I am not joking when I say that one of my friends, when she went to purchase a new home, purposely got it just over a county line that was not the county where she kept getting called for jury duty. She didn't have a problem with serving if it was spread around. Same here. I would even volunteer and not have to be "summoned" (by the way, it always happens at the most inconvenient times) if they could get a little more organized (see below).
I was asked once if I would be interested in volunteering for Federal (grand jury) court service. You have rush hours in your life, and that was at a rush hour, so to speak. I would consider seeking to volunteer for a six week Federal service stint, especially when I retire, which quite honestly, I probably will never retire, so I should set a new marker for that service.
Of course, I would be a bit wary if I ever needed a jury and to have it too stacked with people purposefully loving to serve on juries or only retirees or almost all elderly people. I've read a John Grisham novel before. I'm onto you, you jury stacker.
Well, they called up a group of us to come be considered to serve on jury duty, and it was more filled with Richardson people proportionally than it would seem ordinary (I found out it was later, see below). After waiting around for a couple of hours at one place, they pulled the Richardson people and a few nearby Richardson (going by zipcode) out of the pile, sent us a good ways away over to another place, gave us some time (cutting it very close) to get there, to hurry up and wait, to serve on a small claims court case (petit) this time in front of a County JP. We waited around a couple more hours. At one point they made us line up, standing for what seemed like forever. The benches left empty. There were some people who this was not good for because of their physical state. And shoes. Wear comfortable shoes. Fortunately, I always try to.
It was lunch time and the smell of employees microwaving or opening their lunches wafted into the hallway. We finally got into the court room. Crickets and tumbleweeds when the JP/judge said it was nearing re-election time, basically not so smoothly hinting (campaigning from the bench) that support to keep the good ol' judge there was desirable. The JP stated the JP's qualifications and record (how many evictions cases, etc.). Now that I think about it, I can't help but wonder if this was the real reason why it was arranged to be principally an audience of people eligible to vote for the JP (using our zipcodes as opposed to just being left pooled county wide as we had been before being separated off)? The reasoning described was that we would be close to where we needed to go afterwards, but the JP did not know where we all worked, etc. even if it was known where we lived. Good grief. I hope not. Now that I think about that, it wouldn't surprise me, but I hope not. You'll have to forgive me for being suspicious after what the JP said and did, but based on what I have seen happen with my own two eyes and ears recently, it might pay to be.
About half were released from duty, not needed, not selected. That is often necessary and understandable, but citizens should be treated a little better when they are there. At the first court, the metal detector guards yelled at two poor guys when they didn't get their change off the belt and out of the basket as quick as they wanted. There wasn't even a line waiting or anything. They were bizarrely rude. And when I left they were yelling something to a guy about his hips "going to hit" something when he was a couple of feet away from anything. It is not like we are criminals or anything (except one did admit to being convicted of theft, at the first court, so was ineligible to serve).
Voir dire (using the term loosely, I am meaning only the part of the process where potential jurists are questioned in order to select or strike them from being on the jury) doesn't seem to typically take anywhere near as long in petit civil court case jury selection, especially if neither side has hired an attorney (some do). (In criminal and larger civil cases, depending, they have jury selection consultants at the elbow in some of those. I was at one that took more than a day in jury selection/voir dire and I swear they asked us everything but what color underwear we had on.)
Well, fast forward. That go around was over, at least for the next few months. It sure was a very impressive group of citizens. I can only hope they would put themselves in another pool, a pool to make themselves available to be considered for another type of equally important, but more intensive, public service.
Part of the reason, I learn, is that since the pool comes from two lists, the Driver's License roll and the Voter Registration roll, one should put her Driver's License number on her Voter Registration roll information to basically keep from being "double pooled." (I guess the problems with combining the lists are insurmontable, more so than putting up with the inequitableness of the process. Not enough people have complained, enough?). That could only explain part of it however.
In a group of ten of us discussing this a couple of months ago at dinner, only two of us had been called more than once in the last ten years, some had never been called. All registered voters and licensed drivers.
I am not joking when I say that one of my friends, when she went to purchase a new home, purposely got it just over a county line that was not the county where she kept getting called for jury duty. She didn't have a problem with serving if it was spread around. Same here. I would even volunteer and not have to be "summoned" (by the way, it always happens at the most inconvenient times) if they could get a little more organized (see below).
I was asked once if I would be interested in volunteering for Federal (grand jury) court service. You have rush hours in your life, and that was at a rush hour, so to speak. I would consider seeking to volunteer for a six week Federal service stint, especially when I retire, which quite honestly, I probably will never retire, so I should set a new marker for that service.
Of course, I would be a bit wary if I ever needed a jury and to have it too stacked with people purposefully loving to serve on juries or only retirees or almost all elderly people. I've read a John Grisham novel before. I'm onto you, you jury stacker.
Well, they called up a group of us to come be considered to serve on jury duty, and it was more filled with Richardson people proportionally than it would seem ordinary (I found out it was later, see below). After waiting around for a couple of hours at one place, they pulled the Richardson people and a few nearby Richardson (going by zipcode) out of the pile, sent us a good ways away over to another place, gave us some time (cutting it very close) to get there, to hurry up and wait, to serve on a small claims court case (petit) this time in front of a County JP. We waited around a couple more hours. At one point they made us line up, standing for what seemed like forever. The benches left empty. There were some people who this was not good for because of their physical state. And shoes. Wear comfortable shoes. Fortunately, I always try to.
It was lunch time and the smell of employees microwaving or opening their lunches wafted into the hallway. We finally got into the court room. Crickets and tumbleweeds when the JP/judge said it was nearing re-election time, basically not so smoothly hinting (campaigning from the bench) that support to keep the good ol' judge there was desirable. The JP stated the JP's qualifications and record (how many evictions cases, etc.). Now that I think about it, I can't help but wonder if this was the real reason why it was arranged to be principally an audience of people eligible to vote for the JP (using our zipcodes as opposed to just being left pooled county wide as we had been before being separated off)? The reasoning described was that we would be close to where we needed to go afterwards, but the JP did not know where we all worked, etc. even if it was known where we lived. Good grief. I hope not. Now that I think about that, it wouldn't surprise me, but I hope not. You'll have to forgive me for being suspicious after what the JP said and did, but based on what I have seen happen with my own two eyes and ears recently, it might pay to be.
About half were released from duty, not needed, not selected. That is often necessary and understandable, but citizens should be treated a little better when they are there. At the first court, the metal detector guards yelled at two poor guys when they didn't get their change off the belt and out of the basket as quick as they wanted. There wasn't even a line waiting or anything. They were bizarrely rude. And when I left they were yelling something to a guy about his hips "going to hit" something when he was a couple of feet away from anything. It is not like we are criminals or anything (except one did admit to being convicted of theft, at the first court, so was ineligible to serve).
Voir dire (using the term loosely, I am meaning only the part of the process where potential jurists are questioned in order to select or strike them from being on the jury) doesn't seem to typically take anywhere near as long in petit civil court case jury selection, especially if neither side has hired an attorney (some do). (In criminal and larger civil cases, depending, they have jury selection consultants at the elbow in some of those. I was at one that took more than a day in jury selection/voir dire and I swear they asked us everything but what color underwear we had on.)
Well, fast forward. That go around was over, at least for the next few months. It sure was a very impressive group of citizens. I can only hope they would put themselves in another pool, a pool to make themselves available to be considered for another type of equally important, but more intensive, public service.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Letterbox (continued from prior post), reader passes on a link from Carl. Old 16mm film celebrating end of WWII 1945 Honolulu (blog'n Richardson TX)
Received from a reader who credits Carl for sending her the link: 16mm restored film footage showing spontaneous celebrating upon the news that WWII was ending, August 14, 1945, Honolulu. Shared here with description and story behind it, by Richard J. Sullivan, his television, location scouting, and production web site here. He is obviously very talented. Thank you. This is heart touching footage and music.
One of the guys looks just like one of my uncles (long since passed away). I really miss him. He was always a jokester. He was the one I remember lifting me up just using his thumbs while I hung on for dear life. Later on, he had to get false teeth and he would scare us kids by popping them in and out of his mouth when we least expected it (of course, we begged him to do it). He had a drinking and chain smoking problem though that really got him (and the family). So did a lot of the people who came back from war. I have pictures of him and all my other family members in the military and otherwise with some of them reminding me of this film footage.
One of the guys looks just like one of my uncles (long since passed away). I really miss him. He was always a jokester. He was the one I remember lifting me up just using his thumbs while I hung on for dear life. Later on, he had to get false teeth and he would scare us kids by popping them in and out of his mouth when we least expected it (of course, we begged him to do it). He had a drinking and chain smoking problem though that really got him (and the family). So did a lot of the people who came back from war. I have pictures of him and all my other family members in the military and otherwise with some of them reminding me of this film footage.
Letterbox: The blog has received a few ledders, or letters, over the last two weeks, here are some
Here is one received:
"Thanks for your time and effort on your blog, I enjoy it and the content."
And, someone sent the blog a 20% off coupon to Staples. Thankye.
Received an email about the oil spill, wanting to know what the blog thought about it.
We are 100% against oil spills. (I may post about it later. If you have something, writing not spilled oil, you may send it in for consideration. I know the oil spill "got worse" today. To say the obvious, it is a very bad situation.
Here is one received from a Mr. Caywood. He sent two. (My thoughts are that I am glad of some of the changes in the last 100 years, and I am not a Tea Party member, I don't mind paying taxes if and when it is necessary and when it is managed fairly, transparently and without diversion and tricks. And if the Dad is better at being at home caring for the children and wants to, he should be able to stay at home, if that is the case and an available option to the family. I can't entirely agree with all the content below, however, he touches upon some points that are valid, interesting, and humorous in his two emails.)
This is what he sent.
"Hi. This is a must read!!!!!!!!!!!!!
At first I thought this was funny...Then I realized the awful truth of it.
Tax his land, Tax his bed, Tax the table At which he's fed.
Tax his tractor, Tax his mule, Teach him taxes Are the rule.
Tax his work, Tax his pay, He works for peanuts Anyway!
Tax his cow, Tax his goat, Tax his pants, Tax his coat.
Tax his ties, Tax his shirt, Tax his work, Tax his dirt.
Tax his tobacco, Tax his drink, Tax him if he Tries to think.
Tax his cigars, Tax his beers, If he cries Tax his tears.
Tax his car, Tax his gas, Find other ways To tax him fast!
Tax all he has Then let him know That you won't be done Till he has no dough.
When he screams and hollers, Then tax him more, Tax him till He's good and sore.
Then tax his coffin, Tax his grave, Tax the sod in Which he's laid.
Put these words upon his tomb, Taxes drove me to my doom
When he's gone, Do not relax, It's time to apply The inheritance tax.
Accounts Receivable Tax
Building Permit Tax
CDL license Tax
Cigarette Tax
Corporate Income Tax
Dog License Tax
Excise Taxes
Federal Income Tax
Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA)
Fishing License Tax
Food License Tax
Fuel Permit Tax
Gasoline Tax (42 cents per gallon)
Gross Receipts Tax
Hunting License Tax
Inheritance Tax
Inventory Tax
IRS Interest Charges
IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax)
Liquor TaxLuxury Taxes
Marriage License Tax
Medicare Tax
Personal Property Tax
Privilege Tax
Property Tax
Real Estate Tax
Recreational Vehicle Tax
Road Usage Tax
Service Charge Tax
Social Security Tax
Sales Tax
School Tax
State Income Tax
State Unemployment Tax (SUTA)
Telephone Federal Excise Tax
Telephone Federal Universal Service Fee Tax
Telephone Federal, State and Local Surcharge Taxes
Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax
Telephone Recurring and Non-recurring Charges Tax
Telephone State and Local Tax
Telephone Usage Charge Tax
Use Tax
Utility Taxes
Vehicle License Registration Tax
Vehicle Sales Tax
Watercraft Registration Tax
Well Permit Tax
Workers Compensation Tax
STILL THINK THIS IS FUNNY?
Not one of these taxes existed 100 years ago, And our nation was the most prosperous in the world. We had absolutely no national debt, Had the largest middle class in the world, And Mom stayed home to raise the kids What in the world happened? Can you spell "politicians?"
And I still have to press 1 for English!?!?!?!?
I hope this goes around THE USA at least 100 times!!!!!
YOU can help it get there!!!!
GO AHEAD - - -
BE AN AMERICAN!!!!!! "
Here is the other one he sent, somewhat of a chain letter as well. It is his opinion, but I agree with the concept that what is good for the goose is good for the gander and vice versa:
"Governors of 35 states have already filed suit against the Federal Government for imposing unlawful burdens upon them. It only takes 38 (of the 50) States to convene a Constitutional Convention.
This will take less than thirty seconds to read.
An idea whose time has come
For too long we have been too complacent about the workings of Congress. Many citizens had no idea that members of Congress could retire with the same pay after only one term, that they didn't pay into Social Security, that they specifically exempted themselves from many of the laws they have passed (such as being exempt from any fear of prosecution for sexual harassment) while ordinary citizens must live under those laws. The latest is to exempt themselves from the Healthcare Reform that is being considered...in all of its forms. Somehow, that doesn't seem logical. We do not have an elite that is above the law. I truly don't care if they are Democrat, Republican, Independent or whatever.
The self-serving must stop. This is a good way to do that. It is an idea whose time has come.
Have each person contact a minimum of twenty people on their Address list; in turn ask each of those to do likewise. In three days, most people in The United States of America will have the message. This is one proposal that really should be passed around.
Proposed 28th Amendment to the United States Constitution
"Congress shall make no law that applies to the citizens of the United States that does not apply equally to the Senators and/or Representatives; and, Congress shall make no law that applies to the Senators and/or Representatives that does not apply equally to the citizens of the United States ."
You are one of my 20.
If you agree, please pass it on. "
"Thanks for your time and effort on your blog, I enjoy it and the content."And, someone sent the blog a 20% off coupon to Staples. Thankye.
Received an email about the oil spill, wanting to know what the blog thought about it.
We are 100% against oil spills. (I may post about it later. If you have something, writing not spilled oil, you may send it in for consideration. I know the oil spill "got worse" today. To say the obvious, it is a very bad situation.
Here is one received from a Mr. Caywood. He sent two. (My thoughts are that I am glad of some of the changes in the last 100 years, and I am not a Tea Party member, I don't mind paying taxes if and when it is necessary and when it is managed fairly, transparently and without diversion and tricks. And if the Dad is better at being at home caring for the children and wants to, he should be able to stay at home, if that is the case and an available option to the family. I can't entirely agree with all the content below, however, he touches upon some points that are valid, interesting, and humorous in his two emails.)
This is what he sent.
"Hi. This is a must read!!!!!!!!!!!!!
At first I thought this was funny...Then I realized the awful truth of it.
Tax his land, Tax his bed, Tax the table At which he's fed.
Tax his tractor, Tax his mule, Teach him taxes Are the rule.
Tax his work, Tax his pay, He works for peanuts Anyway!
Tax his cow, Tax his goat, Tax his pants, Tax his coat.
Tax his ties, Tax his shirt, Tax his work, Tax his dirt.
Tax his tobacco, Tax his drink, Tax him if he Tries to think.
Tax his cigars, Tax his beers, If he cries Tax his tears.
Tax his car, Tax his gas, Find other ways To tax him fast!
Tax all he has Then let him know That you won't be done Till he has no dough.
When he screams and hollers, Then tax him more, Tax him till He's good and sore.
Then tax his coffin, Tax his grave, Tax the sod in Which he's laid.
Put these words upon his tomb, Taxes drove me to my doom
When he's gone, Do not relax, It's time to apply The inheritance tax.
Accounts Receivable Tax
Building Permit Tax
CDL license Tax
Cigarette Tax
Corporate Income Tax
Dog License Tax
Excise Taxes
Federal Income Tax
Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA)
Fishing License Tax
Food License Tax
Fuel Permit Tax
Gasoline Tax (42 cents per gallon)
Gross Receipts Tax
Hunting License Tax
Inheritance Tax
Inventory Tax
IRS Interest Charges
IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax)
Liquor TaxLuxury Taxes
Marriage License Tax
Medicare Tax
Personal Property Tax
Privilege Tax
Property Tax
Real Estate Tax
Recreational Vehicle Tax
Road Usage Tax
Service Charge Tax
Social Security Tax
Sales Tax
School Tax
State Income Tax
State Unemployment Tax (SUTA)
Telephone Federal Excise Tax
Telephone Federal Universal Service Fee Tax
Telephone Federal, State and Local Surcharge Taxes
Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax
Telephone Recurring and Non-recurring Charges Tax
Telephone State and Local Tax
Telephone Usage Charge Tax
Use Tax
Utility Taxes
Vehicle License Registration Tax
Vehicle Sales Tax
Watercraft Registration Tax
Well Permit Tax
Workers Compensation Tax
STILL THINK THIS IS FUNNY?
Not one of these taxes existed 100 years ago, And our nation was the most prosperous in the world. We had absolutely no national debt, Had the largest middle class in the world, And Mom stayed home to raise the kids What in the world happened? Can you spell "politicians?"
And I still have to press 1 for English!?!?!?!?
I hope this goes around THE USA at least 100 times!!!!!
YOU can help it get there!!!!
GO AHEAD - - -
BE AN AMERICAN!!!!!! "
Here is the other one he sent, somewhat of a chain letter as well. It is his opinion, but I agree with the concept that what is good for the goose is good for the gander and vice versa:
"Governors of 35 states have already filed suit against the Federal Government for imposing unlawful burdens upon them. It only takes 38 (of the 50) States to convene a Constitutional Convention.
This will take less than thirty seconds to read.
An idea whose time has come
For too long we have been too complacent about the workings of Congress. Many citizens had no idea that members of Congress could retire with the same pay after only one term, that they didn't pay into Social Security, that they specifically exempted themselves from many of the laws they have passed (such as being exempt from any fear of prosecution for sexual harassment) while ordinary citizens must live under those laws. The latest is to exempt themselves from the Healthcare Reform that is being considered...in all of its forms. Somehow, that doesn't seem logical. We do not have an elite that is above the law. I truly don't care if they are Democrat, Republican, Independent or whatever.
The self-serving must stop. This is a good way to do that. It is an idea whose time has come.
Have each person contact a minimum of twenty people on their Address list; in turn ask each of those to do likewise. In three days, most people in The United States of America will have the message. This is one proposal that really should be passed around.
Proposed 28th Amendment to the United States Constitution
"Congress shall make no law that applies to the citizens of the United States that does not apply equally to the Senators and/or Representatives; and, Congress shall make no law that applies to the Senators and/or Representatives that does not apply equally to the citizens of the United States ."
You are one of my 20.
If you agree, please pass it on. "
Received another email from someone else that gives this link to a Wall Street Journal editorial. The editorial says, "State and local borrowing as a percentage of U.S. GDP has risen to an all-time high of 22% in 2010."
Received from someone who said she got it from Carl: A link to 16mm film showing celebrating the end of WWII, August 14, 1945, Honolulu. I will post it in its own post above.
Word change by Richardson's Judge And DART Board Representative Ray Noah "gutted the policy" of DART anti-discrimination policy some feel.
Stories appear in Dallas News here and here, and all over, especially the blogs. That's one issue that can hopefully be cleared up quickly, but I doubt everyone forgets about the aura of it.
For part of the rest of the picture, what I do know is I feel he, Angie Chen Button (now Representative), Pres. Gary Thomas and others got off way too easy on the big budget fiasco a couple of years ago. It was a mop up job, one that Richardson honchos played a bigger part in than some may realize (for its size) and systemic problems that could be addressed by DART were not and have not been. We keep getting more of the same, same.
For part of the rest of the picture, what I do know is I feel he, Angie Chen Button (now Representative), Pres. Gary Thomas and others got off way too easy on the big budget fiasco a couple of years ago. It was a mop up job, one that Richardson honchos played a bigger part in than some may realize (for its size) and systemic problems that could be addressed by DART were not and have not been. We keep getting more of the same, same.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Hand off
(Someone sent in a heavily edited photo to the letterbox, with a joke about it being about something else, but I knew what it was because two sets of photos are making their way around email this week taken from facebook and two blogs. I don't want to put them on here, but I do want to comment. )
The vast majority of people do not put their hand on another's more personal body parts in public. If they do, that is the type of person they are and the other person they know and are touching has given them the signals that acting that way is okay with them. If it is not okay, then the person being handled doesn't stand there and take it and certainly doesn't lean into it, unless they are okay with it.
It is absurd to claim one is at fault for some particular act and the other standing right there allowing it is not. If there is fault, they both (all, in the case of another set of pictures) are at it (at fault), unless there is some unseen coercive or controlling force.
My personal feelings about two of the characters being joked about is that based on their behavior over the years, that has nothing to do with a photo, is that they have good qualities but they are also consistently two faced and consistently sleazy in behavior. They may get out of control when drinking or having their fun, but they are like this purposefully when they have not been drinking, when they think it gets them somewhere or something. It is not a mistake or two, here or there. They practice it constantly now. They have some very bad mentors and coaches who have helped lead them (each other) into this. It is a bad culture that has been developed.
Both of them have poor reputations in the area of physical and verbal fidelity and I can see how people feel that way about them. He tried to rub up on me and she tried to cheezy grin lie and play all sides and act like she was confiding in me when she was actually trying to pump me for information to take back to her politician to use against someone else. I moved away from them very obviously when these (separate) episodes occurred and went on about better business to discourage their tries at deception. I certainly wouldn't let someone who lied about another woman in order to get his way about something, proceed to rub up on me.
Among countless things I did and didn't like about what he did in his official capacity, he kept trying to convince people that a certain politician he felt himself superior to was "a lineman." He is entitled to his opinion, however, he was on the city payroll using his position and access to people and community events in his role to use it as an opportunity to assert this and play a political maker. A few other people paid by tax payers abused their positions in this manner for various political activity. Taxpayers should not have (had) to pay for this.
And as for her, she joined the merry band, bumping and coo'ing trying to play all sides after being asked what on earth she was doing interviewing people on the great politician's behalf to find out information, trying to wheedle them seeing if they were going to be for him. She admitted she was telling her politician so he could know who to "go after" to kick off.
She, just as the woman who got a contract from the city through nepotism, made hollow remarks about feminism and politics, hollow because she wasn't helping females in North Texas unless it was about her politician so it was odd for her to be going on about it, not that she should have helped any of them but she's the one who brought it up indicating she was supposed to be and planning on it. Same for nepotism woman. My opinion is that it was just a precusor to her trying to play the card very insincerely because she has said she plans to run. (The nepotism woman is just as duplicitous as her relative, so it is and was all a ruse.)
What added to me forming the above general opinion was also when she made the comment,
"thank G_d my kids are boys, I wouldn't want to have girls."
This was said in public, to a group. I really just do not prefer that attitude in someone, and them espousing it outloud and saying he or she is planning to be a representative, as she has said numerous times. That's just not the type of person I would want representing me or my family or the entire community.
I also did not appreciate how she claimed one very hard working volunteer lady near where she lives was just wanting change for change sake (not true at all from what I saw and I know her well). She is entitled to her opinion, but then she started cheesy grinning and acting like she was her best friend when she walked back into the room. She tried to act like she was talking to the group of us about room temperature wine. It was a very uncomfortable situation.
Good thing she hasn't been handpicked by the top honchos and isn't being "groomed" to help overcome the only-partly-true anti-feminine label some people slapped on the gang, or is she?
The vast majority of people do not put their hand on another's more personal body parts in public. If they do, that is the type of person they are and the other person they know and are touching has given them the signals that acting that way is okay with them. If it is not okay, then the person being handled doesn't stand there and take it and certainly doesn't lean into it, unless they are okay with it.
It is absurd to claim one is at fault for some particular act and the other standing right there allowing it is not. If there is fault, they both (all, in the case of another set of pictures) are at it (at fault), unless there is some unseen coercive or controlling force.
My personal feelings about two of the characters being joked about is that based on their behavior over the years, that has nothing to do with a photo, is that they have good qualities but they are also consistently two faced and consistently sleazy in behavior. They may get out of control when drinking or having their fun, but they are like this purposefully when they have not been drinking, when they think it gets them somewhere or something. It is not a mistake or two, here or there. They practice it constantly now. They have some very bad mentors and coaches who have helped lead them (each other) into this. It is a bad culture that has been developed.
Both of them have poor reputations in the area of physical and verbal fidelity and I can see how people feel that way about them. He tried to rub up on me and she tried to cheezy grin lie and play all sides and act like she was confiding in me when she was actually trying to pump me for information to take back to her politician to use against someone else. I moved away from them very obviously when these (separate) episodes occurred and went on about better business to discourage their tries at deception. I certainly wouldn't let someone who lied about another woman in order to get his way about something, proceed to rub up on me.
Among countless things I did and didn't like about what he did in his official capacity, he kept trying to convince people that a certain politician he felt himself superior to was "a lineman." He is entitled to his opinion, however, he was on the city payroll using his position and access to people and community events in his role to use it as an opportunity to assert this and play a political maker. A few other people paid by tax payers abused their positions in this manner for various political activity. Taxpayers should not have (had) to pay for this.
And as for her, she joined the merry band, bumping and coo'ing trying to play all sides after being asked what on earth she was doing interviewing people on the great politician's behalf to find out information, trying to wheedle them seeing if they were going to be for him. She admitted she was telling her politician so he could know who to "go after" to kick off.
She, just as the woman who got a contract from the city through nepotism, made hollow remarks about feminism and politics, hollow because she wasn't helping females in North Texas unless it was about her politician so it was odd for her to be going on about it, not that she should have helped any of them but she's the one who brought it up indicating she was supposed to be and planning on it. Same for nepotism woman. My opinion is that it was just a precusor to her trying to play the card very insincerely because she has said she plans to run. (The nepotism woman is just as duplicitous as her relative, so it is and was all a ruse.)
What added to me forming the above general opinion was also when she made the comment,
"thank G_d my kids are boys, I wouldn't want to have girls."
This was said in public, to a group. I really just do not prefer that attitude in someone, and them espousing it outloud and saying he or she is planning to be a representative, as she has said numerous times. That's just not the type of person I would want representing me or my family or the entire community.
I also did not appreciate how she claimed one very hard working volunteer lady near where she lives was just wanting change for change sake (not true at all from what I saw and I know her well). She is entitled to her opinion, but then she started cheesy grinning and acting like she was her best friend when she walked back into the room. She tried to act like she was talking to the group of us about room temperature wine. It was a very uncomfortable situation.
Good thing she hasn't been handpicked by the top honchos and isn't being "groomed" to help overcome the only-partly-true anti-feminine label some people slapped on the gang, or is she?
You Lost Me (You Couldn't Keep Your Hands To Yourself) by Xtina
A top performance from Xtina. The lights will be turned up.
I am done
Smoking gun
We've lost it all
The love is gone
And we had magic
And this is tragic
You couldn't keep your hands to yourself
I feel like our world's been infected
And somehow you left me neglected
We've found our lives been changed
Babe, you lost me
And we tried
Oh, how we cried
We lost ourselves
The love has died
And we had magic
And this is tragic
You couldn't keep your hands to yourself
Oh, I feel like our world's been infected
And somehow you left me neglected
We've found our lives been changed
Cause babe, you lost me
Now I know you're sorry
And we were sweet
Oh, but you chose lust when you deceived me
And you'll regret it, but it's too late
How can I ever trust you again?
I feel like our world's been infected
And somehow you left me neglected
We've found our lives been changed
Oh babe, you lost me
You Lost Me by Christina Aguilera, featured on American Idol, Fox Network.
Saturday, June 19, 2010
The "background checks" performed by political advisors involve actively surveiling opponents, other candidates, family and friends
Yes, in Richardson. Following and stalking of neighbors and family by the self proclaimed "Richardson way" people who are so desperate that they started surveiling those who were not even their direct opponent, that they knew were not going to agree to their schemes or more importantly to them not cast that all important control vote. When they can't find anything to use, they make it up. This is continuing to the end of 2009 and now into 2010.
Is there a Pollie Award or Hero Award, or some other pattern recognition (be sure to read page 1 and 2) for that?
(How come you didn't spot the Richardson ringer, given all your sly "investigating?" Oh, nevermind. T'was yours.
And, how come you didn't mention the developer money taken by you and your sidekicks involving an active case in front of you? Oh, a selective oversight?)
So, when you see the detective following you, don't count on calling the po-po to stop them. When you have people threaten to stalk you, even if your gaffe was a minor swipe at someone who is up to no good, don't count on calling the po-po to do anything when it goes far. When you see the pole sticking out of the truck in the alley pointing at your window, it aint the meter reader. They really are listening to you (really hard for once).
And also count on vague shifty eyed replies when you confront the gumshoe hirers and ask them to stop.
Well, they should know now, turn about is fair play, too many people are on to them.
Nixon indeed. Blogo indeed. Clintonesque indeed. The students have become the masters.
We aint in Kansas anymore. (It would have been better if one of them would go to Kansas. He hasn't been that well cut out for all this. It has taken a toll on him and people around him. I don't expect him to hold out much longer. But not to worry, they already have younger prettier replacements who don't quite know what they are getting themselves into either by rubbing themselves all over who they think are the power players).
Remember, you are not paranoid if they really are after you.
Is there a Pollie Award or Hero Award, or some other pattern recognition (be sure to read page 1 and 2) for that?
(How come you didn't spot the Richardson ringer, given all your sly "investigating?" Oh, nevermind. T'was yours.
And, how come you didn't mention the developer money taken by you and your sidekicks involving an active case in front of you? Oh, a selective oversight?)
So, when you see the detective following you, don't count on calling the po-po to stop them. When you have people threaten to stalk you, even if your gaffe was a minor swipe at someone who is up to no good, don't count on calling the po-po to do anything when it goes far. When you see the pole sticking out of the truck in the alley pointing at your window, it aint the meter reader. They really are listening to you (really hard for once).
And also count on vague shifty eyed replies when you confront the gumshoe hirers and ask them to stop.
Well, they should know now, turn about is fair play, too many people are on to them.
Nixon indeed. Blogo indeed. Clintonesque indeed. The students have become the masters.
We aint in Kansas anymore. (It would have been better if one of them would go to Kansas. He hasn't been that well cut out for all this. It has taken a toll on him and people around him. I don't expect him to hold out much longer. But not to worry, they already have younger prettier replacements who don't quite know what they are getting themselves into either by rubbing themselves all over who they think are the power players).
Remember, you are not paranoid if they really are after you.
Friday, June 18, 2010
A question of why wouldn't we consider the question of tax abatements upon employment base, tax base, congestion, and inconvenience? (Richardson, TX)
Dallas News reporter and blogger Ian McCann wrote today in the Richardson Blog, "Leaving out the question of tax abatements, tell us: Is building the employment base (and therefore the tax base) in Richardson worth the congestion and inconvenience that comes with it?"
His comments and question and those he points to in the Transportation Blog where editorialist Rodger Jones asks: What will the Texas Instruments plant do to traffic on Renner Road and Central Expressway? are ones I recommend reading and considering. Rodger's epic DARTMAN quest for a safe crossing (sidewalk) to service the PGBT Station unfortunately, fortunately continues.
The first, but not the only, main comment I make here to both the postings are, any answer leaving out a key component, the tax (and water) abatement policy, upon the tax base, employment base, congestion and inconvenience factors would not be a very meaningful answer. The abatements and arrangements regarding our tax and employement base are central in the first question of worth. (Most people will say, yes, to have jobs, we will put up with a lot, because we feel we have no serviceable choice. Do we know how much it fully costs, what the options are other than this vs. complete failure? Why the congestion and inconveniences are not or cannot be mitigated?) The second question and discussion regards TI, the City of Richardson (Collin County), and the sidewalk (not) connecting TI to the PGBT DART station, the underutilization of DART, the congestion, and inconvenience; the funding of, or lack of funding of the sidewalk. Why isn't it funded?
It is very appropriate that one of the posts is in the Transportation Blog. Is there a Water Policy And Development Blog? (Abatements in the case of TI included water abatement and use, and the implications that go with it. TI is Dallas' topmost water user.) Please see below previous blog postings that are on these topics.
His comments and question and those he points to in the Transportation Blog where editorialist Rodger Jones asks: What will the Texas Instruments plant do to traffic on Renner Road and Central Expressway? are ones I recommend reading and considering. Rodger's epic DARTMAN quest for a safe crossing (sidewalk) to service the PGBT Station unfortunately, fortunately continues.
The first, but not the only, main comment I make here to both the postings are, any answer leaving out a key component, the tax (and water) abatement policy, upon the tax base, employment base, congestion and inconvenience factors would not be a very meaningful answer. The abatements and arrangements regarding our tax and employement base are central in the first question of worth. (Most people will say, yes, to have jobs, we will put up with a lot, because we feel we have no serviceable choice. Do we know how much it fully costs, what the options are other than this vs. complete failure? Why the congestion and inconveniences are not or cannot be mitigated?) The second question and discussion regards TI, the City of Richardson (Collin County), and the sidewalk (not) connecting TI to the PGBT DART station, the underutilization of DART, the congestion, and inconvenience; the funding of, or lack of funding of the sidewalk. Why isn't it funded?
It is very appropriate that one of the posts is in the Transportation Blog. Is there a Water Policy And Development Blog? (Abatements in the case of TI included water abatement and use, and the implications that go with it. TI is Dallas' topmost water user.) Please see below previous blog postings that are on these topics.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
How dense? (blogging from Richardson, TX)
(Photo nymag.com)How saturated do we want, can we as a city control, should we control, Richardson to be?
How packed, densely used, and tall, will Richardson likely be and how do we want Richardson to be?
There is already an idea in mind based on existing development rights and population and extrapolated growth, but often times developers ask for higher allowances on density and it is granted much of the time, offset to a fair degree by those not building to maximum permitted or identified density plans for the city.
"Control" is a combination of influences. In the future, when areas are redeveloped, torn down, additional density development rights will be sought if they are not already in place where desired. As a suburban city, Richardson is relatively low density, flat. Securing additional density allowance happens in a fashion that is determined largely by who is ready and wanting to do a certain project on a certain property. Development rights and guidelines are used, and altered to fit what is thought best. Development is sometimes brought maticulously, adhering to the comprehensive planning guide and code, and sometimes it involves quite a substantial amount of deviation from these, some very quickly crafted. It is usually somewhere in the middle.
Current daytime and nighttime population are about 150,000 and 100,000 for Richardson.
One question is, do we have to keep growing and growing in density (population/traffic/structure, etc.) in order to sustain, or do we just prefer living in a more densely filled environment? What is the economies of scale of density?Take NYC as a geopolitical entity, is it too dense overall or could it be more so? To be optimal, in your opinion? This ignores the crumbling above and below ground infrastructure, which needs funding, repair and replacement, for example. Does this suggest it needs more or does it need less people there to sustain it better? What about Dallas? Richardson?
Sometimes people want the population to increase in order to improve economies of scale. But is that perpetuating just more density and need for more people to come to a certain geopolitical area to support it?
How much people pay in taxes and "quality of life" come into play with this idea of optimal sustainability. So do subsidies given to cause development to happen, density to increase. So does management. Business loves the population to swell; more customers. It seems government does too; a larger base and more offerings for citizens requesting them. Do some governments manage this better than others?
(photo is of Tokyo)
Population growth spurs on the need to grow and grow and the interest rate monster does too. What are the limitation, the "wall" where we can't sustain, in relative peace (and comfort?), even with the aid of technology?
What is the size of your ideal town or immediate "live work play" environment? How does it feel?The planet's population is over 6.8 billion now (USA, 309M). (We haven't found or made another planet inhabitable). Go forth and multiply and seek new frontiers...
(photo: Tokyo metropolis has many monorails and other kinds of transportation, photocarsonline.com)
(photo: East Texas, Caddo Lake, Uncertain TX; Michael Stravato for The New York Times)
(it's east Texas week on the blog).
A few pictures of Richardson...(City of Richardson aerial photo of Main Street in Richardson, Texas, late 1950s. This was scanned from the Richardson Public Library local history archives, courtesy of the Richardson Historical and Genealogical Society.)
(Photo, Main Street /Belt Line in Richardson, Texas; heading east from Central Expressway towards Greenville Avenue. Photographed 14 January 2006 by Nathan Beach.
(Photo, Main Street /Belt Line in Richardson, Texas; heading east from Central Expressway towards Greenville Avenue. Photographed 14 January 2006 by Nathan Beach.
(Photo, Richardson, TX. Nortel Building, By GiangLe, Mar 2010 )
(Brick Row development, stock depiction, 2010 apartment listing, caption: "1 to 2 bedroom apartments, $773 to $1527")
Saying good-bye to Robert Russell, Sulphur River protector (proposed Marvin Nichols Reservoir rejector) (east Texas week blogging from Richardson, TX)
(This is east Texas week at the blog. The river doesn't want to let go either).
By Kenny Mitchell - The DeKalb News Monday, May 31, 2010 10:28 AM CDT
The Sulphur River ran a little slower for a few ticks of the clock Saturday (May 22) as it and many others took a moment of silence to remember a friend, with the passing of scholar, author and northeast Texas historian Robert Traylor Russell. Russell was the author of several books, a staunch defender of property owners and their rights, and the webmaster for one of the best websites concerning the history, beauty, and importance of the Sulphur River and the countryside it flows through. Though he traveled around the globe in service to his country in the Peace Corps and other organizations, Russell was famous locally for the website, www.sulphurriver.net and its use in the opposition of Marvin Nichols Reservoir. His comrades and colleagues within the Sulphur Oversight Society and Friends United for a Safe Environment call his passing nothing less than the tragic loss of a friend and a blow to the fight to preserve the land and heritage threatened by the proposed reservoir.
See rest of story at link to Daily Tribune (Mt. Pleasant, TX), here.
By Kenny Mitchell - The DeKalb News Monday, May 31, 2010 10:28 AM CDT
The Sulphur River ran a little slower for a few ticks of the clock Saturday (May 22) as it and many others took a moment of silence to remember a friend, with the passing of scholar, author and northeast Texas historian Robert Traylor Russell. Russell was the author of several books, a staunch defender of property owners and their rights, and the webmaster for one of the best websites concerning the history, beauty, and importance of the Sulphur River and the countryside it flows through. Though he traveled around the globe in service to his country in the Peace Corps and other organizations, Russell was famous locally for the website, www.sulphurriver.net and its use in the opposition of Marvin Nichols Reservoir. His comrades and colleagues within the Sulphur Oversight Society and Friends United for a Safe Environment call his passing nothing less than the tragic loss of a friend and a blow to the fight to preserve the land and heritage threatened by the proposed reservoir.
See rest of story at link to Daily Tribune (Mt. Pleasant, TX), here.
Supreme Court To Rule on Gun Rights Case This Month. Here is an interesting video (pro gun rights) (blogging from Richardson, Texas)
This ruling is going to be a real mixed bag, either way it goes. This guy who filed the suit (Chicago/gun ban) is basically saying he is a sitting duck inside his home when the criminals know he doesn't have a gun in there. (I guess more people know that now).
From redstate.com,
Posted by Ben Domenech
Tuesday, June 15th at 5:08PM EDT
We’ve been talking a lot about the NRA today, and that brings to mind this video from my colleague at the Heartland Institute, Zach Christenson, posted over at Freedom Pub. Watch the whole thing, but particularly the part with Otis MacDonald, the man behind the Chicago gun case, explaining why he needs to own a gun:
From redstate.com,
Posted by Ben Domenech
Tuesday, June 15th at 5:08PM EDT
We’ve been talking a lot about the NRA today, and that brings to mind this video from my colleague at the Heartland Institute, Zach Christenson, posted over at Freedom Pub. Watch the whole thing, but particularly the part with Otis MacDonald, the man behind the Chicago gun case, explaining why he needs to own a gun:
How Food Shapes Our Cities by Carolyn Steel (TED tv). (blogging in Richardson, Texas) (I specially want blogger Mark Steger to see this)
It is a very interesting piece. Saw it when it came out, but wanted to take a look at it again.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
The Southern Version Of Feminine Mystique
When you intentionally trick a true southern gal real bad, one who has supported and encouraged you, put you forward when others didn't, and you look at her all sheepishly and try to act all friendly and she's polite enough, but you know she knows, and you don't say nothin because you hope she's just going to completely pretend you didn't do what you did, or understand that you just did it to get yourself ahead, and then you receive flowers from her, she's probably saying something other than, I love you.
Personally speaking, for someone like that, I would consider just skipping the flower part of the plan.
Personally speaking, for someone like that, I would consider just skipping the flower part of the plan.
Former Rep. Fred Hill once told me
He said that if someone was interested in something, you just do your research, get some neighbors together, and state your case. He pointed to the Campbell Rd Tunnel/Underpass in Richardson, TX, as an example of what a few individuals can do, noting that they stopped it from being constructed. He had a grin on his face when he talked about the Campbell deal. I wasn't sure what to make of that. I can only have my guesses based on what I knew then and what I learned later.
Well, he hung with some people who did just what he instructed, a few years later. A handful with a cause celebre and the sly determined vindictiveness of an entitled thrown man. But they added some very big tricks and lies to it with the help of paid political consultants Murphy Turner and two very monied interests in town. One of them doesn't seem to know what is going on, just that he digs someone who used to be a way cooler cat than he has turned out to be. The efforts were far more than you saw in print and more than that telephone poll.
I have heard people accuse Rep. Hill of the same m.o. over the years, like when he, lead by a very local mayor and their consultant, did their sales tax increase for transportation poll.
A fascinating trend in professional poll users is how they always seem to get the answer they want from consultant-led interviews, polls and surveys, no matter what it is, no matter if it would benefit those who would bear the costs of it or not.
I have seen people accuse people of forming a "coup" because one or more couldn't in good conscience vote for someone (or something) that had caused far too much concern to be trusted with the public till, as in putting a hand in it for personal gain. People are given the benefit of the doubt over and over again, but if they keep repeating the same bad behavior, you have to stop making excuses or propping them up.
Regarding Rep. Fred Hill, my opinion is that on the numerous times I've seen him or the few times I've talked to him, he was always, always a gentleman in outward appearance and words but always with an agenda, whether you knew it at the time or not. A folksy humble grandstander with polish, hoe in hand killing a (tax cap) snake, but more like a gentleman farmer not a street fighter, he is a study in political mastery and influence in public, and private post-office consultancy, for the most part.
But, I feel he was in there too long, got used to doing it too much the "real" way behind the scenes, and lost sight of some things that he had sight of before he started working as a lobbyist, or somewhere along the way. That is just my personal opinion and I am sure he disagrees with me.
The email from Rep. Fred Hill to COR City Manager Bill Keffler (and his assistant) on 6/30/2009:
"Hi Bill,
I have been continuing to talk with members about the special session. The feed back is that everyone is eager to get out of town before the fourth. There does not seem to be much of an appetite for mischief. The Ds do apparently intend to offer a CHIPs bill but, they acknowledge that it will get knocked off on a point of order and don’t plan to fight it any further. It is just a political gesture on their part.
I am getting requests from various members for political contributions to their campaign accounts which I will do. But this reminded me that I had intended to talk with you about a PAC for local governments. I am assuming that cities are prohibited from making a contribution to such a PAC??? What do you think? I have a call into Frank on this as well. I would like to create a PAC to help members that are helpful to us. For instance, I am contributing $1000 to Carol Kent. She has been a very reliable member and pleasant to work with. I will make sure that I mention her support for the City of Richardson in my note to her.
I have not seen the letter that you indicated you would write for me. Did you send it?
Best regards,
Fred Hill"
This is "pay to play" coming from former Rep. Fred Hill. That is apparently nothing it appears. It's just how they roll at City Hall. Standard operating procedure.
On the issues, here is an example of when I feel someone can legitimately change their mind. Rep. Hill wasn't always for DART in the beginning. He was very against it. Things change, people change their minds, they get new information and ideas that they feel will work over the old ideas, people talking to them about things, and they may change their positions over time. I got no problem with that if it is genuine and based on the merits of an issue and its context (and not pay to play or similar). He has a right to his opinion and to change his mind. I have a right to disagree with him or agree with him. So do you. What promises he may have made or kept with people is another matter. How people vote, based on the information they can find, whether it is accurate or not, is (and was) up to them.
But people shouldn't be influenced so much that they let things get too far out of line. They shouldn't be tempted or influenced to take liberties with the public's funds, in office or just out of office or anytime, liberties that benefit them so much that they know its slick, they line it up ahead of time very quietly, and the handlers push it through. Hey, that's just business, that's what said by some. Yeah, but it is public business, it is our money being harvested and propotioned and it needs to be way more transparent, intentions as full out as they should be, and not hidden-- If he would have told me and a lot of people that he was making a political donation to a certain helpful politician in his role of lobbying for COR, to help make sure COR got what it said it wanted, even if it came from his funds, I would have said that is not right. He was taking it even further than that. I have seen some of the email exchanges released to the public between him and COR and it just makes me sick.
I think that way more about some other people in control at Richardson City Hall than him because they are hired by the city manager, are the city manager, who is hired by the council and the council is elected, they are theoretically in charge, at least the mayor and city manager are, and they are more than just hired guns, even though the tail is wagging the dog much of the time and the council is not told what is going on behind the CM-Mayor screen.
There's an old saying that locks are for honest people. I never got that when I was a kid. It sounded ridiculous. I did later on and now I really do. It is like when you give someone free rein, they go on and keep riding, like into the sunset. They may or may not mean bad by doing some things, at first, but it gets to be old hat after a while and more and more liberties are taken. That is why a good written ethics policy for public officials is important. It is a good start. It is as much to protect them (from themselves) as it is to attempt to protect the public. That is why an independent outside audit is important.
I think they are slicker than snot and it is not little white lies about how good they are or what they accomplished or how good it is for us to vote for them or mere misstatements or misunderstandings. It is intentional things that really impact each tax payer and the community, especially over time. It is the culture down there. It is the "leaders" they promote and "mentor." You have to be okay with this culture to be "in" with them.
I believe in liberty, but not taking liberties at City Hall with tax payer money and policies like is being done and how it has been obscured, in some cases hidden, first and then when it is found out, it is spun by them in such a dismissive fashion it is incredible.
Richardson needs an ethics policy. It needs to audit accounts of concern to start with. It needs online check book and credit card reporting. A Charter review, periodically (way past due). Appropriate postings of the subject matter of each agenda items (frequently vague). And an administrative policy for the Council, that does not subvert the open meetings act. And a review of its legal counsel and what cases it is currently using taxpayer money to fight in court.
The basic operational matters, at least most of them, should have already been done as a matter of periodic reveiw and at the very least they should not have been opposed and twarted by the council. Not taking care of these things has been an unseen drain financially and continues to be a huge distraction and detraction. It has caused taxpayers, the City, more harm than can be measured.
Well, he hung with some people who did just what he instructed, a few years later. A handful with a cause celebre and the sly determined vindictiveness of an entitled thrown man. But they added some very big tricks and lies to it with the help of paid political consultants Murphy Turner and two very monied interests in town. One of them doesn't seem to know what is going on, just that he digs someone who used to be a way cooler cat than he has turned out to be. The efforts were far more than you saw in print and more than that telephone poll.
I have heard people accuse Rep. Hill of the same m.o. over the years, like when he, lead by a very local mayor and their consultant, did their sales tax increase for transportation poll.
A fascinating trend in professional poll users is how they always seem to get the answer they want from consultant-led interviews, polls and surveys, no matter what it is, no matter if it would benefit those who would bear the costs of it or not.
I have seen people accuse people of forming a "coup" because one or more couldn't in good conscience vote for someone (or something) that had caused far too much concern to be trusted with the public till, as in putting a hand in it for personal gain. People are given the benefit of the doubt over and over again, but if they keep repeating the same bad behavior, you have to stop making excuses or propping them up.
Regarding Rep. Fred Hill, my opinion is that on the numerous times I've seen him or the few times I've talked to him, he was always, always a gentleman in outward appearance and words but always with an agenda, whether you knew it at the time or not. A folksy humble grandstander with polish, hoe in hand killing a (tax cap) snake, but more like a gentleman farmer not a street fighter, he is a study in political mastery and influence in public, and private post-office consultancy, for the most part.
But, I feel he was in there too long, got used to doing it too much the "real" way behind the scenes, and lost sight of some things that he had sight of before he started working as a lobbyist, or somewhere along the way. That is just my personal opinion and I am sure he disagrees with me.
The email from Rep. Fred Hill to COR City Manager Bill Keffler (and his assistant) on 6/30/2009:
"Hi Bill,
I have been continuing to talk with members about the special session. The feed back is that everyone is eager to get out of town before the fourth. There does not seem to be much of an appetite for mischief. The Ds do apparently intend to offer a CHIPs bill but, they acknowledge that it will get knocked off on a point of order and don’t plan to fight it any further. It is just a political gesture on their part.
I am getting requests from various members for political contributions to their campaign accounts which I will do. But this reminded me that I had intended to talk with you about a PAC for local governments. I am assuming that cities are prohibited from making a contribution to such a PAC??? What do you think? I have a call into Frank on this as well. I would like to create a PAC to help members that are helpful to us. For instance, I am contributing $1000 to Carol Kent. She has been a very reliable member and pleasant to work with. I will make sure that I mention her support for the City of Richardson in my note to her.
I have not seen the letter that you indicated you would write for me. Did you send it?
Best regards,
Fred Hill"
This is "pay to play" coming from former Rep. Fred Hill. That is apparently nothing it appears. It's just how they roll at City Hall. Standard operating procedure.
On the issues, here is an example of when I feel someone can legitimately change their mind. Rep. Hill wasn't always for DART in the beginning. He was very against it. Things change, people change their minds, they get new information and ideas that they feel will work over the old ideas, people talking to them about things, and they may change their positions over time. I got no problem with that if it is genuine and based on the merits of an issue and its context (and not pay to play or similar). He has a right to his opinion and to change his mind. I have a right to disagree with him or agree with him. So do you. What promises he may have made or kept with people is another matter. How people vote, based on the information they can find, whether it is accurate or not, is (and was) up to them.
But people shouldn't be influenced so much that they let things get too far out of line. They shouldn't be tempted or influenced to take liberties with the public's funds, in office or just out of office or anytime, liberties that benefit them so much that they know its slick, they line it up ahead of time very quietly, and the handlers push it through. Hey, that's just business, that's what said by some. Yeah, but it is public business, it is our money being harvested and propotioned and it needs to be way more transparent, intentions as full out as they should be, and not hidden-- If he would have told me and a lot of people that he was making a political donation to a certain helpful politician in his role of lobbying for COR, to help make sure COR got what it said it wanted, even if it came from his funds, I would have said that is not right. He was taking it even further than that. I have seen some of the email exchanges released to the public between him and COR and it just makes me sick.
I think that way more about some other people in control at Richardson City Hall than him because they are hired by the city manager, are the city manager, who is hired by the council and the council is elected, they are theoretically in charge, at least the mayor and city manager are, and they are more than just hired guns, even though the tail is wagging the dog much of the time and the council is not told what is going on behind the CM-Mayor screen.
There's an old saying that locks are for honest people. I never got that when I was a kid. It sounded ridiculous. I did later on and now I really do. It is like when you give someone free rein, they go on and keep riding, like into the sunset. They may or may not mean bad by doing some things, at first, but it gets to be old hat after a while and more and more liberties are taken. That is why a good written ethics policy for public officials is important. It is a good start. It is as much to protect them (from themselves) as it is to attempt to protect the public. That is why an independent outside audit is important.
I think they are slicker than snot and it is not little white lies about how good they are or what they accomplished or how good it is for us to vote for them or mere misstatements or misunderstandings. It is intentional things that really impact each tax payer and the community, especially over time. It is the culture down there. It is the "leaders" they promote and "mentor." You have to be okay with this culture to be "in" with them.
I believe in liberty, but not taking liberties at City Hall with tax payer money and policies like is being done and how it has been obscured, in some cases hidden, first and then when it is found out, it is spun by them in such a dismissive fashion it is incredible.
Richardson needs an ethics policy. It needs to audit accounts of concern to start with. It needs online check book and credit card reporting. A Charter review, periodically (way past due). Appropriate postings of the subject matter of each agenda items (frequently vague). And an administrative policy for the Council, that does not subvert the open meetings act. And a review of its legal counsel and what cases it is currently using taxpayer money to fight in court.
The basic operational matters, at least most of them, should have already been done as a matter of periodic reveiw and at the very least they should not have been opposed and twarted by the council. Not taking care of these things has been an unseen drain financially and continues to be a huge distraction and detraction. It has caused taxpayers, the City, more harm than can be measured.
Farmers And Makers Market For Richardson, Texas. The Unscientific Poll Results Thus Far
Last week, I ran a poll. Here are the results, to date. I am leaving the poll up so anyone who has not voted may vote. You only vote once.
Do you feel you like the idea of a Farmers and Makers Market for Richardson, Texas?
Votes*
Yes 96% (27)
No 4% (1)
28 votes total
*Results as of June 16
Do you feel you like the idea of a Farmers and Makers Market for Richardson, Texas?
Votes*
Yes 96% (27)
No 4% (1)
28 votes total
*Results as of June 16
Is It Smart To Build High Density Without Enough Convenient Transportation? How does this fit into flooding east Texas? Build, They Will Keep Coming.
(This is a stream of thought piece, unedited. It will be edited when I edit it. Some of the questions are meant to get one thinking. The answers seem obvious in some cases, but it is good to consider that they may not be as obvious as we assume.)
(History has not been kind for some of Spring Valley Rd in Richardson, Texas. )
(It is east Texas week on the blog.)
(How packed, densely used, and tall, do we want Richardson to be? There is already a number in mind based on existing development rights and existing population and extrapolated growth, but often times developers ask for higher allowances on density and it is granted more often than not over the original density allotment, with some offsets from those not building to total allowed density. One question is, do we have to keep growing and growing in density in order to sustain? What is the economies of scale? Of density?)
In the old days, towns popped up where river crossing points or confluences were, and where railroads ran through, where a station could be or was, for need and for speculation. It was a way to get things and people in and out of the area besides the horse and buggy. If the railroad bypassed you, you were considered sentenced to the dustbin of modernity. This was before other transportation options were in the picture that took over from raft and buggy. But the history lives on. Just like a history of a people or gender subjugated to a certain treatment, there are always lingering effects. Ghost towns. Boom or bust towns. Depressed, surviving or thriving. Planning to the extent one can and the rest may not be within exact or remote control.
Now all one has to do is hop in the car. Yes, that sometimes involves sitting in traffic if you do this at certain times. Yes, it has national security implications. Not to mention many others.
These days, in Dallas and Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) cities, the DART light rail line could be considered the train (for passengers, not freight). Plans are to put up medium to high density environments at DART stops, and road intersections. But it doesn't mean that people will use DART (the train). Why, because of the reasons described here. (There are already a handful of medium type density developments at DART stations).
In thirty years when there is higher desity sitting at PGBT in Richardson, Garland and Plano it is the highways that will service the area the most, gridlock and all, not the limited DART light rail line unless it can be connected and made more usable. There are plans for that, but they are still very limited, at least in the public arena. The biggest initial significant links in the plan would be connecting UTD and the airport, tying into other systems. And even have DART go points east (east Texas). (Using private-public partnerships.) The rail line would still be a fairly inflexible commuter line, however, a straight shot deal, moving groups of people at once, but then there would need to be a connecting flight so to speak, a bus or walk or bike, if the line did not stop where you wanted to go.
The thought is to try to get highways, buses, rail, added tunnels, tollways ... to act as a network that works. (There is a saying in transit that once you find a system that works, no one uses it). The problem is that it is still too clunky, unconnected, expensive, and it is not sustainable, if nothing significant changes in behavior of our masses or in technological policy. (Nothing may happen anyway very soon because of politics and funding, the development and density will come before the transportation to fit it, adding to the jam). The current plan is not going to work as believed to satisfy the challenges which have outpaced the current situation and this limited "comprehensive" plan. It may work almost as well as what we are currently doing. There will be pockets of improvement at the expense of ignored areas. But we complain about the underbuilt, underfunded for-what-it-is, system as it is. The prevailing "vision" just won't be better enough and affordable enough for what will eventually have to be given up. Things will have to be sacrificed with the vision. Opportunity costs experienced.
And, so what if it does work out. What has been the consequences. There are consequences. The "vision" does not come for free.
--
It is fun to pile a bunch, a whole bunch, of new stuff in an empty field in Richardson, Texas, albeit hopefully using much better design principals (as is always thought at the time).
It is more difficult to deal with issues of existing places like Spring Valley and even downtown in Richardson. It is a cycle. The neglected areas go into decline, like when people switched from using the train to using individual automobiles, the whistle stop and station towns dried up.
What we are being told, and what is being planned for, is a multi modal surface transportation system of using automobiles, light rail, buses, walking/biking to get around, in Texas. The shift is to have us "evolve" to living in higher and higher density and using the tool of light rail and stay out of our own vehicles. In thirty or fifty years, nearly every neighborhood in Richardson would be ready to be bulldozed, as one neighborhood leader wants to do now and as soon as possible (but not his street). These would be proposed to be replaced with what? Higher density living, because people have been drawn here and housing will be needed, that's what. Or possibly proposed to be open spaces. (Have to work with, or overlook, property rights for this). There is not a very good plan yet that looks that far (further) down the line, pun intended, to provide for what will happened. There are population estimates, but those have changed and will change somewhat depending on technology and other ebb and flow movements. It is a science of extrapolation based on what has already happened. There is a "comprehensive" plan, but it is fairly limited.
I am not convinced that we need to fit our city planning and more importantly transportation tax dollars around this concept to the extent it is until some more thought is put into it first and fast. The traffic is stacking up. We do need to do something. That is why everyone is running around with a vision to just unclog the roadways. Fix it, trash the debris wherever, build more and more roads. Build them, build them. Drill, baby, drill. There is something to that. Right here, right now.
Is an ounce of prevention worth a pound of cure?
--
We built ourselves around the automobile. We citified. Spring Valley (ironic name) was high density living (comparatively back then, notwithstanding places like Kuala Lumpor). Now so many people want to tear it down, with good reason.
The proposal now is to make PGBT DART station the new downtown, because, well, the old one isn't that good.
Something just seems wrong with all this.
Quality can definitely have a big impact. If the new high density areas are built of better quality than W Spring Valley, it would have an impact. That was the thinking for Brick Row (E Spring Valley). Did it include such high quality that in thirty or forty years it would not be another E. Spring Valley, or itself again? Or is it another twenty year product, as one frequent City Hall visitor swears?
Can you see swarms of people biking in the Texas heat up to PGBT to shop in the little shops except for the people who live there? And can you see after a few months the people who live there not wanting to go somewhere else for a change to hang out, eat, shop, etc. Yes, some swarms definitely could act as predicted, on average. Many will come in their cars like at Legacy in Plano and elsewhere (TOD like developments without transit). And, people will move in and move out. Lots of walkers walking to the apartments and shopping in that now vacant field who don't live there. The rail will be used some. Yes. A tunnel at Plano Rd and Renner. Yep. A tunnel at Greenville and Plano Rd. Maybe. Yes. The trees at the corner may or may not be there. Yep. I can see in forty years or less that the mall will grow out of favor and another new shiney mall will be the place to be. It is cyclical. The mix would have to change while there to compete with all the other mixed use and retail developments, they will turnover anyway because that is what retail and restaurants and new businesses do. And, people are fickle as a group, especially shoppers. The neighborhoods will just be rebuilt as multi-family housing? The exisiting single family homes that are at the end of their lifes would be built with higher density in mind, to house the people attracted to the area. Right?
Young people and older people with no children about may not want yards to tend to, quite understandbly. Some will still want space though. Some may not want yards, but they may also not want to live in a high density apartment type area. Oh, there will be places. That is the theory. Will they be afordable. There is already complaints about that on both sides. Will they be here? The funding and attention will go to the high density areas and public transit. That is the prevailing vision more than the comprehensive paper short thirty year vision.
Is the trend to make us live in high density? Give up our personal autos. To plan for this? But how is that going to happen without much pain when the projects now are not working out how they are supposed to? I know the reason is that the infrastructure isn't in place yet to service the vision. What has to be in place to get this plan to work? Should it work? Is that what the majority of us want? This vision (disjointed and nonprescient as it is).
I would rather have more yard, more buffer zone. I want my own covered space to park. I don't want to live three feet from you. That doesn't mean I don't like you. I know three feet is the "personal space" that we stand at in the U.S. It is much closer elsewhere. Will our space keep shrinking?
Will we claim to grow space; Vegas is in the desert. They grew space to live there. L.A. too. But they would not survive without taking water from miles and miles away, dessimating another area so that they may have water in the desert. They grew space there. Who gives up what to subsidize whose vision?
Our water district and dallas (Region C) has been saying that a part of east Texas should be flooded to create the Marvin Nichols reservoir. Water is needed for industry, growth, people. Some see it as asking that the people there give up their land, heritage that runs generations thick, to fill our need to grow the city, the population, become denser and denser at the edge of a water desert. Conservation is not enough says Region C. Others see it as providing water and avoiding a critical point where a drought will hit again and there will be no water. It's happened in the past. It can happen again.
There are several points of view. What is your vision? Are you resigned to it? Do you even know about it? Are you helping it come to fruition by supporting the density and flooding a part of east Texas to live in the city? Are you wanting another option? Are your options possible?
I do not have anything against mixed use or form based zoning or surface travel by other means besides the contemporary vehicles to keeps drivers off the roadway so those who can't take DART can get in jams there without so many of us participating in the traffic jams. Form based is flexible. Nor do I argue with the need for water.
But you have to think about what we are doing here though. Is that what we want? Is that where we spend so much of our money, time, effort, convincing? Do we have to do it that way? How many people do you want living here? How much is inevitable?
The bus stations do not have shelters on them. How visionary and convenient is that? It is just a question, not an indictment. Brick Row at E Spring Valley will be underserved by public transportation/transit. It is on the rail line. It is new construction.
DART has financial problems because of its funding mechanism of sales tax and member cities and other serious issues. A lot of the road fund pays for education. We can't afford education or roads?
At any rate, one thing is for sure, the noise ordinance will have to be improved and investment in acoustic tiles will grow and get used to the idea of living directly next to businesses again. There will still be a call for an industrial district, people will say it probably needs to go over there, in Garland.
We have to honor private development rights. Rights to high density building have been given. But what of rights of all those single family dwellers? Eminent domain was already threatened in getting a tiny little development going in Richardson. Eminent domain is used all the time but it will be used even more as living becomes denser. Get ready for it.
Things happen at a much slower rate in the public sphere than usually anticipated. We won't all be kicked out of our houses. Most of us will die first. It will be our children and grandchildren and great grandchildren who inherit the "vision" that is being pushed now.
When you go to sleep, think of what you would want for them. I just want them to be happy. Should I be thinking of more than that for them? Would I want them to be logged, tracked, stuffed into a tight space? Would I want them to have private property? Would they want to steer, to drive? Have clean air? Clean water to drink? Move around productively or be caught in a traffic jam (mobile communication device). Respect their neighbors? And their country neighbors?
We go to great extremes sometimes to preserve, make, write (rewrite, fake) history. Sometimes we just give it away because we don't know it is our history. Sometimes we abuse it and get called on the carpet. Sometimes we think it is a history of just certain people, and no one else should be said to have a part in it. Sometimes it is washed away beyond our control. Sometimes history has to be let go, to make way for here and now, and the future.
We are fitting us to tools that we have in the handbag. That's is what we have to do, to an extent. We should think about the fact that new tools are already available. We should think that technology will make some of this "vision" obsolete, so we should not wreck the ability of future needs to be met by doing things now that are onerous or single sighted or that is tunnel vision. Sure, plan for the future, but don't wreck it.
We should realize that if the current system is not sustainable, what makes this vision sustainable?
Yes, there are hell bent hearts wanting to bulldoze over anything that doesn't fit their vision or attack anyone who says that this is not exactly the vision for them. They are quite arrogant and high handed. Oh, you Leadite, they accuse. No, that is not it.
Is planning a moral issue? Is flooding a part of east Texas to support a density vision moral? Is wanting to have your own xeriscape lawn and not live in an apartment a moral issue? Build and they will come?
Spring Valley needs help. Some simple actions could have been taken years ago. Truncate Mayhem. Lower drive through or pass by effect. Start there.
The leaders have been meeting for years and years about Spring Valley at Coit area. Someone can say, "oh, it wasn't ready back then." Yes, it was. Some things were done.
Now there are people shoving, dragging and pushing harder than ever before to do something. Something, about the traffic, about the air, about the crime, about blight. That is good.
Around W Spring Valley they want to protect their single family homes and neighborhoods. The problem is, in other areas of the city, that does not seem to be that important to these same people because they want to bulldoze over other people's houses as soon as possible. They want to slap a moratorium on small businesses from improving their buidlings short of a total tear down. And it is certainly not a concern if in order to support our growing density dream we flood a part of east Texas.
What about east Texas?
What about east Texas?
It is fun repeating things.
(History has not been kind for some of Spring Valley Rd in Richardson, Texas. )
(It is east Texas week on the blog.)
(How packed, densely used, and tall, do we want Richardson to be? There is already a number in mind based on existing development rights and existing population and extrapolated growth, but often times developers ask for higher allowances on density and it is granted more often than not over the original density allotment, with some offsets from those not building to total allowed density. One question is, do we have to keep growing and growing in density in order to sustain? What is the economies of scale? Of density?)
In the old days, towns popped up where river crossing points or confluences were, and where railroads ran through, where a station could be or was, for need and for speculation. It was a way to get things and people in and out of the area besides the horse and buggy. If the railroad bypassed you, you were considered sentenced to the dustbin of modernity. This was before other transportation options were in the picture that took over from raft and buggy. But the history lives on. Just like a history of a people or gender subjugated to a certain treatment, there are always lingering effects. Ghost towns. Boom or bust towns. Depressed, surviving or thriving. Planning to the extent one can and the rest may not be within exact or remote control.
Now all one has to do is hop in the car. Yes, that sometimes involves sitting in traffic if you do this at certain times. Yes, it has national security implications. Not to mention many others.
These days, in Dallas and Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) cities, the DART light rail line could be considered the train (for passengers, not freight). Plans are to put up medium to high density environments at DART stops, and road intersections. But it doesn't mean that people will use DART (the train). Why, because of the reasons described here. (There are already a handful of medium type density developments at DART stations).
In thirty years when there is higher desity sitting at PGBT in Richardson, Garland and Plano it is the highways that will service the area the most, gridlock and all, not the limited DART light rail line unless it can be connected and made more usable. There are plans for that, but they are still very limited, at least in the public arena. The biggest initial significant links in the plan would be connecting UTD and the airport, tying into other systems. And even have DART go points east (east Texas). (Using private-public partnerships.) The rail line would still be a fairly inflexible commuter line, however, a straight shot deal, moving groups of people at once, but then there would need to be a connecting flight so to speak, a bus or walk or bike, if the line did not stop where you wanted to go.
The thought is to try to get highways, buses, rail, added tunnels, tollways ... to act as a network that works. (There is a saying in transit that once you find a system that works, no one uses it). The problem is that it is still too clunky, unconnected, expensive, and it is not sustainable, if nothing significant changes in behavior of our masses or in technological policy. (Nothing may happen anyway very soon because of politics and funding, the development and density will come before the transportation to fit it, adding to the jam). The current plan is not going to work as believed to satisfy the challenges which have outpaced the current situation and this limited "comprehensive" plan. It may work almost as well as what we are currently doing. There will be pockets of improvement at the expense of ignored areas. But we complain about the underbuilt, underfunded for-what-it-is, system as it is. The prevailing "vision" just won't be better enough and affordable enough for what will eventually have to be given up. Things will have to be sacrificed with the vision. Opportunity costs experienced.
And, so what if it does work out. What has been the consequences. There are consequences. The "vision" does not come for free.
--
It is fun to pile a bunch, a whole bunch, of new stuff in an empty field in Richardson, Texas, albeit hopefully using much better design principals (as is always thought at the time).
It is more difficult to deal with issues of existing places like Spring Valley and even downtown in Richardson. It is a cycle. The neglected areas go into decline, like when people switched from using the train to using individual automobiles, the whistle stop and station towns dried up.
What we are being told, and what is being planned for, is a multi modal surface transportation system of using automobiles, light rail, buses, walking/biking to get around, in Texas. The shift is to have us "evolve" to living in higher and higher density and using the tool of light rail and stay out of our own vehicles. In thirty or fifty years, nearly every neighborhood in Richardson would be ready to be bulldozed, as one neighborhood leader wants to do now and as soon as possible (but not his street). These would be proposed to be replaced with what? Higher density living, because people have been drawn here and housing will be needed, that's what. Or possibly proposed to be open spaces. (Have to work with, or overlook, property rights for this). There is not a very good plan yet that looks that far (further) down the line, pun intended, to provide for what will happened. There are population estimates, but those have changed and will change somewhat depending on technology and other ebb and flow movements. It is a science of extrapolation based on what has already happened. There is a "comprehensive" plan, but it is fairly limited.
I am not convinced that we need to fit our city planning and more importantly transportation tax dollars around this concept to the extent it is until some more thought is put into it first and fast. The traffic is stacking up. We do need to do something. That is why everyone is running around with a vision to just unclog the roadways. Fix it, trash the debris wherever, build more and more roads. Build them, build them. Drill, baby, drill. There is something to that. Right here, right now.
Is an ounce of prevention worth a pound of cure?
--
We built ourselves around the automobile. We citified. Spring Valley (ironic name) was high density living (comparatively back then, notwithstanding places like Kuala Lumpor). Now so many people want to tear it down, with good reason.
The proposal now is to make PGBT DART station the new downtown, because, well, the old one isn't that good.
Something just seems wrong with all this.
Quality can definitely have a big impact. If the new high density areas are built of better quality than W Spring Valley, it would have an impact. That was the thinking for Brick Row (E Spring Valley). Did it include such high quality that in thirty or forty years it would not be another E. Spring Valley, or itself again? Or is it another twenty year product, as one frequent City Hall visitor swears?
Can you see swarms of people biking in the Texas heat up to PGBT to shop in the little shops except for the people who live there? And can you see after a few months the people who live there not wanting to go somewhere else for a change to hang out, eat, shop, etc. Yes, some swarms definitely could act as predicted, on average. Many will come in their cars like at Legacy in Plano and elsewhere (TOD like developments without transit). And, people will move in and move out. Lots of walkers walking to the apartments and shopping in that now vacant field who don't live there. The rail will be used some. Yes. A tunnel at Plano Rd and Renner. Yep. A tunnel at Greenville and Plano Rd. Maybe. Yes. The trees at the corner may or may not be there. Yep. I can see in forty years or less that the mall will grow out of favor and another new shiney mall will be the place to be. It is cyclical. The mix would have to change while there to compete with all the other mixed use and retail developments, they will turnover anyway because that is what retail and restaurants and new businesses do. And, people are fickle as a group, especially shoppers. The neighborhoods will just be rebuilt as multi-family housing? The exisiting single family homes that are at the end of their lifes would be built with higher density in mind, to house the people attracted to the area. Right?
Young people and older people with no children about may not want yards to tend to, quite understandbly. Some will still want space though. Some may not want yards, but they may also not want to live in a high density apartment type area. Oh, there will be places. That is the theory. Will they be afordable. There is already complaints about that on both sides. Will they be here? The funding and attention will go to the high density areas and public transit. That is the prevailing vision more than the comprehensive paper short thirty year vision.
Is the trend to make us live in high density? Give up our personal autos. To plan for this? But how is that going to happen without much pain when the projects now are not working out how they are supposed to? I know the reason is that the infrastructure isn't in place yet to service the vision. What has to be in place to get this plan to work? Should it work? Is that what the majority of us want? This vision (disjointed and nonprescient as it is).
I would rather have more yard, more buffer zone. I want my own covered space to park. I don't want to live three feet from you. That doesn't mean I don't like you. I know three feet is the "personal space" that we stand at in the U.S. It is much closer elsewhere. Will our space keep shrinking?
Will we claim to grow space; Vegas is in the desert. They grew space to live there. L.A. too. But they would not survive without taking water from miles and miles away, dessimating another area so that they may have water in the desert. They grew space there. Who gives up what to subsidize whose vision?
Our water district and dallas (Region C) has been saying that a part of east Texas should be flooded to create the Marvin Nichols reservoir. Water is needed for industry, growth, people. Some see it as asking that the people there give up their land, heritage that runs generations thick, to fill our need to grow the city, the population, become denser and denser at the edge of a water desert. Conservation is not enough says Region C. Others see it as providing water and avoiding a critical point where a drought will hit again and there will be no water. It's happened in the past. It can happen again.
There are several points of view. What is your vision? Are you resigned to it? Do you even know about it? Are you helping it come to fruition by supporting the density and flooding a part of east Texas to live in the city? Are you wanting another option? Are your options possible?
I do not have anything against mixed use or form based zoning or surface travel by other means besides the contemporary vehicles to keeps drivers off the roadway so those who can't take DART can get in jams there without so many of us participating in the traffic jams. Form based is flexible. Nor do I argue with the need for water.
But you have to think about what we are doing here though. Is that what we want? Is that where we spend so much of our money, time, effort, convincing? Do we have to do it that way? How many people do you want living here? How much is inevitable?
The bus stations do not have shelters on them. How visionary and convenient is that? It is just a question, not an indictment. Brick Row at E Spring Valley will be underserved by public transportation/transit. It is on the rail line. It is new construction.
DART has financial problems because of its funding mechanism of sales tax and member cities and other serious issues. A lot of the road fund pays for education. We can't afford education or roads?
At any rate, one thing is for sure, the noise ordinance will have to be improved and investment in acoustic tiles will grow and get used to the idea of living directly next to businesses again. There will still be a call for an industrial district, people will say it probably needs to go over there, in Garland.
We have to honor private development rights. Rights to high density building have been given. But what of rights of all those single family dwellers? Eminent domain was already threatened in getting a tiny little development going in Richardson. Eminent domain is used all the time but it will be used even more as living becomes denser. Get ready for it.
Things happen at a much slower rate in the public sphere than usually anticipated. We won't all be kicked out of our houses. Most of us will die first. It will be our children and grandchildren and great grandchildren who inherit the "vision" that is being pushed now.
When you go to sleep, think of what you would want for them. I just want them to be happy. Should I be thinking of more than that for them? Would I want them to be logged, tracked, stuffed into a tight space? Would I want them to have private property? Would they want to steer, to drive? Have clean air? Clean water to drink? Move around productively or be caught in a traffic jam (mobile communication device). Respect their neighbors? And their country neighbors?
We go to great extremes sometimes to preserve, make, write (rewrite, fake) history. Sometimes we just give it away because we don't know it is our history. Sometimes we abuse it and get called on the carpet. Sometimes we think it is a history of just certain people, and no one else should be said to have a part in it. Sometimes it is washed away beyond our control. Sometimes history has to be let go, to make way for here and now, and the future.
We are fitting us to tools that we have in the handbag. That's is what we have to do, to an extent. We should think about the fact that new tools are already available. We should think that technology will make some of this "vision" obsolete, so we should not wreck the ability of future needs to be met by doing things now that are onerous or single sighted or that is tunnel vision. Sure, plan for the future, but don't wreck it.
We should realize that if the current system is not sustainable, what makes this vision sustainable?
Yes, there are hell bent hearts wanting to bulldoze over anything that doesn't fit their vision or attack anyone who says that this is not exactly the vision for them. They are quite arrogant and high handed. Oh, you Leadite, they accuse. No, that is not it.
Is planning a moral issue? Is flooding a part of east Texas to support a density vision moral? Is wanting to have your own xeriscape lawn and not live in an apartment a moral issue? Build and they will come?
Spring Valley needs help. Some simple actions could have been taken years ago. Truncate Mayhem. Lower drive through or pass by effect. Start there.
The leaders have been meeting for years and years about Spring Valley at Coit area. Someone can say, "oh, it wasn't ready back then." Yes, it was. Some things were done.
Now there are people shoving, dragging and pushing harder than ever before to do something. Something, about the traffic, about the air, about the crime, about blight. That is good.
Around W Spring Valley they want to protect their single family homes and neighborhoods. The problem is, in other areas of the city, that does not seem to be that important to these same people because they want to bulldoze over other people's houses as soon as possible. They want to slap a moratorium on small businesses from improving their buidlings short of a total tear down. And it is certainly not a concern if in order to support our growing density dream we flood a part of east Texas.
What about east Texas?
What about east Texas?
It is fun repeating things.
Justice Reaches Out From The Grave And Obama's Words Are Spreading in Texas House Race 102
All this over Stefani "Stef" Carter, Republican, House District 102 Candidate, lifting campaign speech lines from President Obama made me remember when Texas State Board of Education Member Dr. Cynthia Dunbar, self proclaimed Christian conservative, ripped off liberal icon Justice Earl Warren for her opening prayer last month. It was a booyah in yer face to her critics. It backfired in certain circles to use religion in that way. Of course it got the self described liberals all riled up, which was her goal. Some of the funnier headlines were:
Justice reaches out from the grave
She did her homework (from a home schooling blog I read)
Dunbar gets the last laugh
I wonder if Stef was giving it a try Dr. Dunbar style or what.
I haven't made up my mind entirely about that TX House race. They both have some great qualities but then there are some issues I have with their issues. And Stef's association with Eisemann and her use of Murphy Turner doesn't appeal to me what so ever. Since Rep. Kent has a political record as an incumbent, I can say I probably only agree with her about 49% of the time. Honestly, I was hoping Stef's primary opponent Geoff Bailey would come out of the primary because he seemed to be more studied and understand the issues (not a speech or campaign entirely filled with platitudes and party mantra), even if I didn't agree with him on some of them. I would have liked to see more of him. It would be a campaign of ideas and issues between him and the incumbent perhaps more than it looks like it is between the two remaining. There is still time between now and the election for Stef to say something (in her own words) and for Rep. Kent to say what she has done, or will do, that we might not already know. What will they do? My guess is that their campaigns will go total negative, including flat out making up stuff, because that is what has shown to work with those willing to lie. Richardson Texas politicians who employed Murphy Turner are victorious proof of that.
Justice reaches out from the grave
She did her homework (from a home schooling blog I read)
Dunbar gets the last laugh
I wonder if Stef was giving it a try Dr. Dunbar style or what.
I haven't made up my mind entirely about that TX House race. They both have some great qualities but then there are some issues I have with their issues. And Stef's association with Eisemann and her use of Murphy Turner doesn't appeal to me what so ever. Since Rep. Kent has a political record as an incumbent, I can say I probably only agree with her about 49% of the time. Honestly, I was hoping Stef's primary opponent Geoff Bailey would come out of the primary because he seemed to be more studied and understand the issues (not a speech or campaign entirely filled with platitudes and party mantra), even if I didn't agree with him on some of them. I would have liked to see more of him. It would be a campaign of ideas and issues between him and the incumbent perhaps more than it looks like it is between the two remaining. There is still time between now and the election for Stef to say something (in her own words) and for Rep. Kent to say what she has done, or will do, that we might not already know. What will they do? My guess is that their campaigns will go total negative, including flat out making up stuff, because that is what has shown to work with those willing to lie. Richardson Texas politicians who employed Murphy Turner are victorious proof of that.
Monday, June 14, 2010
Conversation with my favorite 10 year old just now
It's fun repeating things.
It's fun repeating things.
It's fun repeating things.
Dad
You were the first man I ever loved. You taught me what cattails were and how to climb. You ate around the eggshells when I first made you breakfast. I love you, forever and ever.
Musing About Caddo Lake Preservation, Don Henley, Dan Blocker, Politics, Music, East Texas Week, From Richardson, TX
(photos from Caddo Lake Institute)Since this is east Texas week, I was thinking about Hoss, Don Henley, Caddo Lake, and of course politics and music.
Not too long ago, an unexpected opportunity arose where I was able to attend a very small fundraising concert by Don Henley. His performance was incredible and his voice was as strong and crystal clear as ever.
Don Henley was born in Gilmer, grew up in Linden and hung out at Caddo Lake. He and Dan Blocker are two of the more famous people from east Texas that I can think of at the moment that I have met. I usually don't care if someone is famous or not, but it is true that they can make things happen maybe faster than those of us not so famous, and it can be for good or bad.
(I still can't understand why people would give up their own values for anyone else to be associated with someone just because they are popular or famous. I have seen people do some very despicable things to be popular. I have seen some people who didn't care about popularity do things that should have made them heroes, but since they didn't go around announcing it or since they didn't look hawt or go around constantly buttering people up, they didn't get much attention. I have also seen good people who have done good work have politicians try to exploit them and their name by giving them an "award" and trying to associate their good works with their own political trickery and take advantage of the unsuspecting. Some are so slick, they praise someone when they think the person's friends are around all the while shoving the knife further into the person's back.
I like the in between celebrities and politicians, if we have them. Those who get good things done but aren't all "now about me" types, yet are willing to speak out about something they feel is important.)
I have a signed 8 x 10 glossy of Dan Blocker from when he came to town and my awesome Mom took me to see him because I asked her to. I was a little curious to see if he would be nice in person and to see if he was as big as he looked and would Little Joe, Pa, Adam and Hop Sing come with him. He was. And, he was. And no, they didn't, but it was cool. He shook my hand and smiled at me and it was the giantist grin and cushiony hand ever. He had real nice eyes and a deep voice, as expected. And he had fur on his chest like Daddy, I could see it peeking above his shirt collar.
He did charity work while he was in town. I think he was probably underrated as an actor. Dan Blocker's most well known role was of course the character Hoss on the television show Bonanza. He might have been the first "famous" person I saw, in person. I saw Miss Nancy all the time and I was on Romper Room for two weeks on her local local television show, and we had a local newstation where we thought everyone on there regularly was "famous," but that's about it until later on. I was real sad when Dan Blocker died just a few months later. He was born in De Kalb but raised in west Texas, but he is buried in De Kalb (east Texas). I didn't really know until this year that he was a very political guy too, like Don Henley.
I haven't studied what they did (and do) enough to know the full scope of it, but my initial opinion is that they both did good charitable work and it is true I am biased because they were very cordial and did/do some work that I know about.
As it relates to east Texas, Don Henley has done a lot of work toward preserving Caddo Lake (and a couple of other places). See Caddo Lake Institute. If you have never been to Caddo Lake, I highly recommend it. Check out the Caddo Lake Ramsar Wetlands Center that opened in September in conjunction with the opening of the National Wildilfe Refuge there (see Friends of Caddo Lake).
The lake scenes in his music video Taking You Home were filmed at gorgeous Caddo Lake. I didn't know anything about him or the lake (outside of that he was in The Eagles and was with Stevie Nicks a lot and Caddo Lake was "over there") until I started writing about it almost twenty years ago because Caddo Lake became a character in my story-- The first time I went there, it took my breath away. It is a magnificent place. I really couldn't believe it was tucked away, hidden there. It is called Texas' only natural lake (not dug and made).
Below is Don Henley on Caddo Lake talking about the lake. It is pretty neat.
And a birthday tribute to Dan Blocker, who unfortunately died at the young age of 42. (song by Alison Krauss, Baby, Now That I've Found You. I did not put the video together, someone else did).
And, Don Henley's video Taking You Home with scenes from Caddo Lake.
(If this video does not load, reload the page or find it here)
This was a video for the New Morning show on the Hallmark Channel.
(If video below does not load, find it here)
(If video does not load, find it here)
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Music> Alt Prog Metal> Fair To Midland
(This week is east Texas week on the blog.)
In the early 90's, we hung out a few times in Dallas with some of the band called Ideal Cynics because they were friends of our friend, Gerald. Some of the time we would wind up in Deep Ellum. My friend Sheryl would usually go with us. Lance was the band manager, promoter, sound guy too, maybe, I think. The lead singer was named Phil Flowers and the last I heard he was in Vegas as Rev. Black Flowers. Drummer Cameron White wound up with the Sherman band The Foil. What a smile that guy has. These are nice fellows. The band broke up when a couple of them needed to devote more time to school and family. And they had THE 90's hair. All of them. This makes me laugh now, in a good way. All that HAIR! Bass player Joseph Lonon was in Las Vegas last I heard. And, the keyboardist Matt Langley (whose shaved temple and big hair is now just long, medium big, hair). He eventually hooked up with Fair to Midland (picture below) and their music has quite a growing following these days. The lead singer in Fair to Midland is from east Texas too, Sulpher Springs. They travel all over but that is where they say they are based. Two FTM songs charted in 2007, Tall Tales Taste Like Sour Grapes and Dance of the Manatee. It's good to see these east Texas / Sulpher Springs guys do well.
All of Fair to Midland's songs are different, trippy. If you like System Of A Down, Tool, Saliva, A Perfect Circle, Live, P.O.D. to Pink Floyd, even R.E.M or Muse... depending on the song, you might like them and find some songs you like. I have liked almost every one I have heard. Their lineup today in addition to Matt Langley on keys/electronics is Darroh Sudderth, vocals, who started FTM with Cliff Campbell, guitars. Brett Stowers, drums. Jon Dicken, bass. FTM are on Serj Tankian's Serjical Strike label; management, Frank Hill.
If interested, you can go to hear samples at amazon (select mp3 downloads for all samples) or itunes. While there you might want to check out Karnivool.
Here is The Wife, The Kids And The White Picket Fence. It's one of their more conventional songs. It is on the album Fables from a Mayfly: What I Tell You Three Times Is True
(audio / still picture / sorry it's low quality and noise quality audio sample but it gives an idea of his voice and the song. I like when it hits 2:30)
Bright Bulbs and Sharp Tools [DEMO, sorry it's low quality audio sample] is a demo from their newer stuff. The latest record hasn't been released yet.
(audio /still) It takes a few seconds to pick up.
In the early 90's, we hung out a few times in Dallas with some of the band called Ideal Cynics because they were friends of our friend, Gerald. Some of the time we would wind up in Deep Ellum. My friend Sheryl would usually go with us. Lance was the band manager, promoter, sound guy too, maybe, I think. The lead singer was named Phil Flowers and the last I heard he was in Vegas as Rev. Black Flowers. Drummer Cameron White wound up with the Sherman band The Foil. What a smile that guy has. These are nice fellows. The band broke up when a couple of them needed to devote more time to school and family. And they had THE 90's hair. All of them. This makes me laugh now, in a good way. All that HAIR! Bass player Joseph Lonon was in Las Vegas last I heard. And, the keyboardist Matt Langley (whose shaved temple and big hair is now just long, medium big, hair). He eventually hooked up with Fair to Midland (picture below) and their music has quite a growing following these days. The lead singer in Fair to Midland is from east Texas too, Sulpher Springs. They travel all over but that is where they say they are based. Two FTM songs charted in 2007, Tall Tales Taste Like Sour Grapes and Dance of the Manatee. It's good to see these east Texas / Sulpher Springs guys do well.
All of Fair to Midland's songs are different, trippy. If you like System Of A Down, Tool, Saliva, A Perfect Circle, Live, P.O.D. to Pink Floyd, even R.E.M or Muse... depending on the song, you might like them and find some songs you like. I have liked almost every one I have heard. Their lineup today in addition to Matt Langley on keys/electronics is Darroh Sudderth, vocals, who started FTM with Cliff Campbell, guitars. Brett Stowers, drums. Jon Dicken, bass. FTM are on Serj Tankian's Serjical Strike label; management, Frank Hill.
If interested, you can go to hear samples at amazon (select mp3 downloads for all samples) or itunes. While there you might want to check out Karnivool.
Here is The Wife, The Kids And The White Picket Fence. It's one of their more conventional songs. It is on the album Fables from a Mayfly: What I Tell You Three Times Is True
(audio / still picture / sorry it's low quality and noise quality audio sample but it gives an idea of his voice and the song. I like when it hits 2:30)
Bright Bulbs and Sharp Tools [DEMO, sorry it's low quality audio sample] is a demo from their newer stuff. The latest record hasn't been released yet.
(audio /still) It takes a few seconds to pick up.
Friday, June 11, 2010
I Heart Heart But I Completely Heart And Love You, My Sweetheart
Dear Baby,
I am crazy on you! And it is not just because you fixed my trailer hitch (although stuff like that still makes my heart go pitter patters just a little more each time I just look at you or think about you, even after all these years, or maybe it is because of all these years).
Here is a song for you.
1976, Heart performing Crazy On You.
Heart has shown the world they can rock out for over 35 years too. Nancy's masterful guitar work at the beginning is nothing short of brilliant and the same for the work in movies she has musically scored. Ann, the voice, the passion, the songwriting. Amazing. These sisters should be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Nancy's little kick near the end cracks me up for some reason. And Ann's oh side glances. This is total retro fun.
What is PRT? What is Innov8 Transport? (Richardson, TX)
My favorite cartoon was The Jetsons (which I experienced in a later decade through Saturday morning reruns). I didn't like the lame stereotypes (reflecting boorish contemporary thought on futuristic utopia was a downer but I liked the automatic nail polisher type gadgets and robots and family and sarcasm and irony), I totally dug the technology and sounds, the shapes and colors, especially the idea of stylin space cars. (If I went on an episode of Pimp My Ride...) In a previous post, I lamented that some solutions try to fit us to the solutions, instead of fitting the solutions to us. Some poet said, don't be a tool to your tools. I had that scrolling as one of my screen savers for years (until that tool crashed).
One of the problems with rail + bus transit (or rail + driving/parking or walking/weather or biking/weather/racking) is rail or bus doesn't come that close to most people's homes or work or where they want to go, including the other inconveniences, to be deemed convenient enough to outweigh driving a vehicle as the primary means of surface transportation. This "first and last mile inconvenience" (getting to and from destination of departure and arrival when using public transit), having to wait around or plan around limited service (areas and schedules), strangers, parking, weather, storage, etc. are all challenges even in the more pervasive and density supported current systems. There are a number of solutions floating around to solve some of the limitations of current conventional transit systems that are, well, not the current transit systems.
Here are a couple.
I bring these up because I think it is a mistake to unquestioningly apply dated technology and thinking or mismatched solutions to fit or further an existing system that isn't exactly working (a transit system that is undersized for peak needs but too lightly used overall because of its limitations and cost per benefit, and a peak-times congested highway network that is not capable of being expanded as fast as demand is growing, even with added toll road or toll lane funding models are considered, which have been given the red light from the Texas Legislature, except for the exceptions. I won't explain that part right now). To me it is important to consider the culture and conditions of Texas (or wherever the solutions are being considered for application). Solutions shouldn't flatten the world 'til crushing, as much as some people think that is the way to go. Not all of it should be inevitable or accepted (sorry, Friedman).
The current system is what we have, and it is the springboard obviously, but it should not be the final blueprint in thinking. The current system of public transit and transportation is not sustainable as a whole, unless further inconveniences to prevailing travel behavior (and lifestyle) are imposed, or rather mandated, the law (with police state enforcement). Technology is an opportunity to address the challenges. The technology should not be something that we completely fit to but that also fits to what we want as much as possible.
Texas Tribune article, Up In The Air, Feb 2010, features Austin Personal Rapid Transit and Innov8 Transport, who have two different models of what they think personal transportation could be like in Austin (and other places) if begun potentially in two to four years. (When you hear that, count on multiplying the start time, finish time and cost by as much as five, ten or more). Issues like safety, privacy, and funding are always going to come into play no matter the utility. (People are still going to find a way to jump off the PGBT).
Please read the article if you will. Of the two systems, the first has some interesting features and is more conventional but does not seem to address the "first and last mile" issue as well as the second one would. It also doesn't address cost of such system and it seems to be more of an inner city address.
The second one, a dual mode system, seems to be the most versatile and with quicker adaptation (and adoption) potential because it would couple existing roadway with new high speed track/rail (that Texas is vying for stimulus money to study, in regard to high speed rail). In the dual mode proposal you and your vehicle drive onto the high speed rail system (it looks like a tram); dual mode; from road to rail. In this way it provides point to point convenience using your own vehicle (a vehicle made to work on the high speed rail and the roadway, proposed to be electric).
Contrarily, the PRT proposal seems to have the system own (ownership of) the travel units (they don't want you to call them "pods" but that is what they are) stationed at tightly dispersed little stations (see video). They are proposed to be electric, no point emission as well.
All of this is insanely expensive but so are the piecemeal and unsustainable solutions, that consume resources such as our time, being used and offered otherwise that are just not keeping up and never will keep up and have bad consequences, like paving over Texas.
Too bad we can't just jump to Moller Air Cars or Milner Air Cars. I should pull out the packet I have from the 70's, with Moller's early model, and scan it in and post it. But, sometimes even when technology is near ready, people are no where near ready to handle it. It doesn't look like they have these ready for prime time anyway. There are a number of experimental and military projects around with such transportation or similar devices. (I was going to say something about teleportation but I don't want to freak out the non-space car huggers too much).
The existing DART (Dallas Area Rapid Transit) light rail line in Richardson, TX, and subsequently the Richardson corporate bus loops or routes we use for the shuttles and the UTD route could be mini-test route/s for a PRT or dual mode type system (connection). There is one PRT system at Heathrow preparing to open according to the last link. There are PRT tests occurring elsewhere, one in MN.
Texas has its first (High Speed) Rail Director under TXDOT now.
Video and article links are below. Check them out when you are able if you have not already.
Pie in the sky, to an extent, but something's got to give. We need more promising, adaptive, graceful options than what is being pursued.
Austin (now ULTra) Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) Video
Their leapfrog concept is the same one I suggested for DART, since we had DART, to have near a Chinatown / downtown station when a station was being bandied about for Richardson there several years ago. Redevelopment issues were considered problematic and competing ideas / locations had already won out. Since Chinatown is one of the unique things about Richardson, and the downtown is the geo center, and the Home Depot deal fell through (mismatched in my opinion anyway), and the TIF corner there switched ownership hands with no activity visually apparent, or even if there was, it is not out of the question to take another look at that area, somehow, or some technology, linking it better, to non highway connectivity. It is right on the existing DART line with no light rail access provided there (it would slow the line if there was a parallel configuration to the other station configurations, that is why a leapfrogging configuration as seen in the below video was and would be the suggestion when speaking of DART LR trains).
(I wish the opportunities in our governments were not shaded by financial and other mismanagement and lack of oversight/transparency/cronyism and resultant waste and subsequent distrust. Those things are very damaging.)
Innov8 Transport (dual mode) - Their video has President Obama speaking for a few seconds at the beginning regarding economic recovery and investment (aka stimulus funding). I wish they had not included it because while it is part of the transportation issue, it clouds it for some people because of the problems they have with Obama's policies, his spending, etc. or reduces critical thinking because they like him so much.
There is a slide presentation next but if the slides on the presentation are too fuzzy to read, skip ahead to the 2:03 mark where Travis Krupp starts talking and there is animation. You'll need to turn the sound up. You can enlarge the screen by clicking on the four way arrow in the lower right hand corner of the video. Use the escape button on your keyboard to come back to normal size.
Article see, ULTra PRT at Heathrow to Launch June 2010 (it is a PR piece essentially, but the web site has a lot of pictures and proposals and info about Heathrow launching the system).
On-schedule for historic June 2010 start
In June, the London Heathrow ULTra system will become the world's first PRT system to enter revenue service, keeping to the previously announced schedule. We are currently quite busy at Heathrow, conducting passenger trails and proving out the system in various scenarios: large influxes of passengers, emergency scenarios, and non-standard use cases where passengers have special needs or seek to use the ULTra System in an unexpected manner. This comprehensive test program will ensure that the ULTra system provides a reliable, user-friendly, high-quality service from the very first day of public operation.
ULTra PRT is happy to arrange guided tours for cities and organizations with serious interest in an ULTra system for their location.
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