Wednesday, September 29, 2010

City Council Takes Advantage of Many Opportunities, But There Were Some Missed Opportunities for Richardson City Council on Monday and otherwise

that were not good for the people. (I use the term "the people" because that is what we were called.)

First, regarding the ethics policy and its concluding hearing (and passage, on its way to the consent agenda) for the Richardson, Texas, City Council, there were some missed opportunities and none more striking (and blown) than how the confidentiality clause was born and passed through. All sorts of descriptions spring to mind. I'll refrain because someone else has already said it better (and he actually edits his writing and checks his spelling, see below).

Many of us have expressed, discussed and tried (and tried) to tell our representative or the entire Richardson City Council how we feel about the use of that sledge hammer of a confidentiality clause (as written).

I feel Mark Steger over at The Wheel has described very capably a better way, one of several, that could be used to handle such a clause concern.

I also compliment all the speakers ("visitors") on Monday night because every speaker brought up valid points, this one and others.

I also feel DC's blog called Just My Two Cents has been consistently bringing up things that are worth considering and I feel and understand his and everyone else's frustration, not that it matters (h/t).

Given the council behavior immediately following it's passage, it seems only the people were really interested in ethics in government.

I can see how council did what it did, council who are inside looking out, who are writing rules that apply to said council, which are claimed to be and supposed to be "the people's code" but that isn't much like the people's code. Or if staff is writing it (from one or from thirteen cities).

Seeing any government consciously follow an RIAA model that is only going to cause about thirty new and better Napster peer to peer offspring is not something beautiful (to RIAA, at least, not until they would get their act together, comparatively, for interims). Government failure to release public information (public information) in a timely matter as required by law (as required by law) only gives birth to (double edged swords) like wikileaks. The more a government unnecessarily keeps a people's business from it, the more the trust lessens that such a government has any right to hide any information even when there are valid (limited) cases to do so. The trust is already weakened via behavior that begat the call for an ethics policy.

There is a lot of ground not addressed at all by the council's code of ethics. No mention of prohibition against several of the activities that should have never happened in the past and should not be happening now or in the future. It can and will happen with even more immunity now because it can be said by council, and staff, that, "oh, well, it doesn't offend our (this) code of council ethics and protection (or staff code of ethics), therefore we can do that." This coupled with what is essentially a chilling gag order of protection for anything at all put into an executive session does not spell "People's Document."

That's what I wanted to say about that, for now.

Moving on to another item, one that essentially involved whether to require an apartment complex across from city hall to pour more concrete on the ground already planted with trees and shrubs (17 years after an agreement or obligation to do so back in the day) and help cause just a little more stormwater runoff in Rtown (like we need more of that).

The request was for a sidewalk variance on a low traffic area with a city (Richardson code) standard sidewalk directly across the street. Not that this means anything, but I have seen many cases where variances were given to others with much less fitting requests by far.

It could have gone either way on granting the request or not, I see the pros and cons, some compromise was had, I am not going to go over the details, but I wanted to say that there could be better ways of providing for increased pedestrian mobility and connectivity (mentioned, and rightly so), reduced storm water runoff, while keeping things attractive (good) and affordable and respecting good design principles. I learned of this through discussions with mainly two people plus a few others, meaning mainly a former council member who I call on as much as I can before I feel like a stalker and a suckling sponge and a Richardson assistant department manager type who is like a wizard.

Some visuals:

Permeable sidewalks, all kinds, fancy or very plain (standard look), could be used that let water pass or go through and reduce runoff and accommodate pedestrians and trees or plantings.






























Problems when traditional methods meet trees (roots)






















Rubber sidewalk example that I was told about (recycled tires). Utilizing them also helps clean up plagued areas and counties that have severe rubber tire dumping problems. Dumping of tires is such a problem not just here in Texas and so much so that a fee is charged in many areas across the country when tires are purchased to help pay to educate and clean up or combat tire dumping. Putting this and other materials to use more, in more applications where they work better than concrete could help all that and more.



























Grasscrete is used in several places around here. In certain cases, in places that are not ideal for more straight up concrete, grass pavers provide support, and green, and permeability (permeation of storm water into the ground).













Another thing is that more miles of trails, developed in a sustainable (very sound) way could be achieved sooner if even a small shift in the way of thinking was employed. Some of this has been pointed out to me in Richardson, but only some. I always say to my friends and anyone who will listen, give us more of that information and examples of what is and can work.

Overbuilding amenities as a policy reduces the pervasiveness of those amenities which could be right-built (adequate) for more users, earlier on (faster availablity and for more people). Wide is good, but length is good too.

Stormwater runoff, dealing with so much impermeable (impervious) surfaces in a city, is nothing to keep ignorning to the extent it has been and to a certain extent being ignored by some (not by all, but by some), mainly politicians, who will offer as the solution to just tax us more (fee us more) as the main, long-time coming solution without appropriate change in their thinking and in policy or in concretin', beyond appearances).

(Having to dig up a roadway and concrete every time any single one of the utilities has a problem is a problem. More on that later. )

Those are my notes and that is my time for now. Maybe someone will read this and see value in it. There are pros and cons to every thing, but sometimes it is very okay to consider different options that have not been given a fair try or much thought.

P.S. I feel that ruling on the case of the sidewalk wasn't exactly too friendly towards a good neighbor business who has done good for so long and now some greens are going to be uprooted and other mature greens put at risk of death on behalf of more concrete. Frontage road around there is already a wading pool when it rains good. Just saying. Also, seems like the city paid for drainage for the condos (their share of it) nearby outright when the development didn't build it in like they were supposed to (agreed to), but the other place has to build for itself what was called a community use amenity. Why the difference between the two? Is it because a councilman who lived at the condos pressed for city to foot their bill but at this time there is no councilman living at the apartments? Just curious how that all works and matches up. I'm not saying it does or doesn't. I'm just asking.

P.P.S. In regards to a few comments about the importance of especially the area around city hall, I wanted to say that how the city hall neighborhood looks is no more (or less) important than how our neighborhoods look (how they should be treated and regarded) and how our businesses and residents should be treated no matter where they live in our city.

Sunday, September 26, 2010

New move to ban "internal electronic devices" says Richardson Texas City Council

Richardson City Council called a press conference following an executive session to announce that in addition to changes made last week to a Richardson Code of Confidentiality and Ban of External Electronic Devices, a new section has been added to the agreed upon bill.

"It only makes sense," instructed one confidential Council Member. "If all external electronic devices are banned, why not ban all internal electronic devices."

Another Member chimed in, "That is wisdom speaking. You won't find this kind of logic in very many places. So, don't tell us how to count electronic devices. We are the Telecom Corridor after all. Run us up the flagpole and see if we don't stick."

All Council Members indicated agreement through spirited, but united, body language using their heads, although two Members crossed their fingers behind their backs according to two city officials who say that under the new rules they can no longer speak to anyone but Council Members for fear of rules reprisal. One Member was seen slipping his RC rubber bracelet off and on.

When asked what the additional rules were, the following draft notes, with specificity and vagueness, were provided.

"You will need to let us know if you have any of the following:

Cardiac pacemaker

Any internal electronic device

Artificial heart valve or stents

Medical surgical clips or aneurysm clips

Intra-uterine device

Hearing aid or implants

Shunts

Neurostimulators

Artificial joints/ metal rods

Embedded shrapnel or metal fragments

Steel plates

Kidney disease

You will be asked to undress and put on an exam gown. All loose metal objects must be left outside the exam room. Such objects include jewelry, watches, hairpins and dentures. Credit cards also should not be brought in due to past unreported confidential incidents with credit cards.

In some cases, you may be given a confidential injection. This helps us see detail of your particular body parts.

You will lie on a table that positions you as we wish you to be. A large open-ended tube will surround your body while you are being scanned.

Trained, highly paid COR-RC Staff will observe you from another room, talking with you via an external communications device which has not been banned because it has a very special use permit.

While COR-RC representatives operate the session, you will hear some tapping and other noises. During this time you should lie motionless. If you feel uncomfortable, please tell the COR-RC representatives. We will provide you with ear-plugs, blinders and so on and so on.

To schedule an appointment please call the COR-RC office immediately. You have our number."

When asked what the punishments for infringing the new rules are, the official comment was, "We will all just have to wait and see. In some cases, we plan to give rewards for certain internal electronic devices, it just depends, so it is not really a ban per se, in all but some cases for only certain people. I feel we have protected our best interests. Not everyone is going to agree with us."

Three Board Members were on hand for the new rules unveiling. When asked why they thought so few apointees were there, one Arts Commission Member said, "We just found out from a text message from someone on the Council that we will be required to follow some kind of rules and you didn't hear it from me but we think a band called Fox Guarding the Hen House is going to be here so we came to see if we could catch them or at least get into the Council's after party."

An impromtu line began forming for goers of Comic Con.

A few retired volunteer VIP RC Members were to be found sitting in lawn chairs beside a tree near a fire engine. When asked what they thought of the rules, a spokesman-ambassador for the group yelled, "We can lie all we want about you. What you gonna do, huh, huh? Just go home! RC VIP's rule this City, suckahs!"


Council will hold its next show Monday, September 27, at 6PM at the Municipal Center. Tickets are always for sale.

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

So, who is pushing for the misguided, broad, poorly defined and worded "confidentiality" clause in the City of Richardson Code of Ethics anyway?

It is not non staff, non council, non city attorneys clamoring for it. No, it's not like when neighborhoods supposedly clamored for something that benefited a donator to a certain private business of a certain politician and that came ahead of so many more important things that would serve so many more people.

There is more to this story that will be revealed.

Keep in mind that non confidential public business is not confidential just because someone closes a door and claims to the public it is.

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

The RISD Trustees have been watchful, listening with a big ear to the rails.

They definitely didn't want or need to make waves in the wake of the superintendent and severance situation. That guy made out here like a bandit, and over yonder too. Who's in charge of things like that, eh?

They noticed a budget based tax rate increase would not be that well received. However when will they float that bond package that they had pulled back. I have heard a lot of chatter about it over the past many months. What increase in RISD taxes will be tied to it? Will it be packaged with an eye toward highest needs, efficiency and effectiveness in the final version?

I am still liking the new guy on the RISD Board of Trustees. I hope he does well.

I have been checking in with PISD too.

I am told that more news will come out about bond package ideas and drafts on what should be included and I am told to look for innovative cost cutting measures that are going to be proposed by trustees, staff, parents, students and others. It will be interesting to see what will come from all of us along those lines.

Letterbox: Two items. One says the jet lease cost was not reimbursed. The other is a flyer from Grier Raggio for Congress.

The first item reads in part,

"From your blog:

"concerns about putting non employees into the employee retirement system; leasing a private jet for personal business and bilking taxpayers for it but getting caught and paying for it after getting caught and calling a reporter and round robin council calling to cover, hypothetically;"

Thought I would point this out to you: He never did pay back...

I do have the documents on this incident from an open records request...."


Thank you for letting us know about this.



Our response to the other letterbox item:

A flyer was delivered from the Grier Raggio campaign canvassers.

Grier Raggio, I seriously think you are a nice person and very well meaning, I just don't want more of the same in Washington. (If Pete Sessions contacts us, I will blog about him, but I for sure am not voting for him). Mr. Raggio, you haven't convinced me that you aren't just going to do the same tired bad policy making, although your flyer is starting to hit on something that resembles substance ("making Washington live within its means" and "keeping jobs here at home." You should keep in mind that businesses are not the enemy, it's the abuses by government and individuals that are).

I am still leaning to voting for John Jay Myers as it stands.

I searched for Richardson Code of Conduct. I found this and it says that there is "honor among thieves" and protocol involved. Oh really.


Infidelity is an unpleasant reality that we can no longer turn a blind eye to and pretend it does not exist.


The Other Woman Code of Conduct offers detailed guidelines for what behavior is acceptable for those participating in these arrangements. Like it or not, there is "honor among thieves" and there is protocol involved in everything we do. Cheating is no exception. It is in our best interest to know all the facts so that we can make informed choices.

TheOtherWomanCode.Com

Explosive! With The Other Woman Code of Conduct...
takes off the gloves and confronts one of the biggest taboo topics in relationships today. How do you help people who find themselves engaging in behavior that is completely unacceptable in society? Where most experts run from the hard tasks...

Richardson runs to the rescue because she understands that people can only do better when they know better! It's possible that this book will begin the conversations necessary to discuss the elephant in the room that no one wants to talk about. Warning: This book is Uncensored and definitely Unapologetic!

Friday, September 17, 2010

There should be an ethics commission and provision for use of independent, trained professionals as needed (investigator, accountant) (Richardson, TX)

As Monday night's Richardson City Council meeting showed, the Council's judgment alone, or even in conjunction with city attorney or paid staff, is not so good particularly when it comes to the Council (and staff) itself. If so many citizens had not become concerned and been involved this time (which is not always the case), a very bad bill would have come away last night (and it still might).

I agree with others who have been paying attention right now and with the cities over time who have had to deal with ethics issues, when they conclude that it is appropriate to have citizens and professionals as needed/called upon according to guidelines, such as an independent investigator or accountant-- some checks and balances -- involved in reviewing ethics questions and charges and not only leave it up to an ethics questioned mayor and his city council slate, manager and city lawyer, or count on enough people paying attention to what is happening at the time each thing happens, especially at times like the last Council meeting of a year, very late, where things have happened (more about those later).

It will save problems and money in the long run by letting everyone know they need to not abuse their position and our coffers, that they are held accountable even if they are the least worst candidate elected (or even if they are not), that the city accounts should be handled as transparently as possible, and to clue some others in who have had clear conflicts of interest in a matter and still tried to control the issue, like involving a certain housing development complaint, hypothetically (a word used at Monday's council session).

A first line process and review needs to be in place with people who are not directly the complainee or complaintant or slate co-politician, who is not lobbied/briefed by the CM/O, who is assigned to look at the facts as a commissioned (standing) group (and not lost track of for years at a time as described in another hypothetical senario presented). Ultimately council can make a call, but after more than just itself and direct hire/s have looked into a matter following the guidelines.

Hypothetically speaking, it has been too easy for council members (politicians) to shrug responsibility about what the other (politician) is doing. If they say something to the wrong co-politician whose coat tails they may or may not have ridden in on, or to the wrong CM, they may not get elected again, gasp. If they don't block for the grand pupah, they don't get treats. Is it really one politician's job to corral another serving in the same body when that politician may owe the fact that he is on the council thanks to the coat tails of the other politician who is his "leader" or who he blocks for or the reverse, who is knitpicking at him in public when he can even if they have the same "leader"? Monday night is evidence that the Council does need guidance from people other than itself. It also smelled like elections are on the way.

If the City Council is so able to handle everything, then might as well get rid of City Plan Commission, Zoning Board of Adjustment (as "someone" had suggested finding some way of getting rid of that board any way several years ago, more than once, but really couldn't find a way to), etc. (Then of course there is state law). The ZBA had an odd occurrence itself a couple of years ago via one member which should not have happened in my opinion (I won't get into that right now unless I see that person doing more of it or up on a slate).

Often the people appointed by the council as a whole show better judgment on certain items once presented with facts than the Council and this could be true of matters involving the city council itself (or a question involving the conduct of a deliberative body itself). Of course a commission may be stacked, of course it can be highly biased, but at least there is more of a chance that the facts are examined and an attempt at a more objective recommendation is made, as opposed to what has gone on for years that is not so good that taints all the good things that do go on.

Hypothetical examples of concerns [edit: note that the concerns fall under different, overlapping areas in some cases and in other cases, completely separate areas, that need to be kept separate. They should be addressed under the applicable policy and if policy doesn't exist and is needed, it can be addressed.]

The rehiring a departed fire chief on the last couple of days of the year as a consultant to gain retiree benefits; voting in another city (not Richardson) less than a year before seeking Richardson office; approving or looking the other way while personal business is mixed with city business repeatedly and including at the expense of and ahead of projects that would serve many more citizens; issuing a contract to a relative;

unauthorized use of city logo, name, backing and property of the City; holding a non posted meeting to discuss city manager's pay; complaints of faulure to fulfill FOI requests; failing to audit a contract for over a decade;

concerns about putting non employees into the employee retirement system; leasing a private jet for personal business and bilking taxpayers for it but getting caught and paying for it after getting caught and calling a reporter and round robin council calling to cover, hypothetically;

hypothetical things like that, and oh, calling citizens nasty names in public like b _ _ _ _ _ _ s and b _ _ _ _ es and a_ _ _ _ _ es and a crazy b_ _ _ _ , giving obscene gestures to people at neighborhood meetings, etc.

Hypothetically speaking, there doesn't seem to hypothetically be a lot of evidence of a Richardson City Council's ability or willingness to substantially police itself and live up to an ethics and conduct policy, although not all of this would fall under such a policy as currently proposed.

This doesn't even get into hypothetically taking money from a developer with an open specific case in front of council, being a founder of a PAC and endorsing yourself and the "PAC" claiming "it" didn't financially support candidates, filing late, getting slapped with a fine, hypothetically, all the while pointing a finger at others who took fireman and realtor PAC money and reported it right away, hypothetically.

I wonder what happened to the young guy who came to the town hall meeting and described being alledgedly raped by the former fire chief and from the audience a former councilman and RC'er yells from the "open town hall" audience, "sit down, shut up!" Now that is complaint transparency RC mentorship legacy pillary for us.

The attitude has been from many, "what you don't know about city issues won't hurt you."

"Don't tell them how to count cars."

Learning about what we don't know about city issues will be as engaging as if the RC and its special members and founders fire up the old slate machine and lie about all the candidates who "won't play footsie with the pillars." Oh, but come on, they can come up with better lies than to lie about flyers on windshields, or can they?

I use the word "pillar" because it was used at Monday's night Council meeting by one of the council members. Do "pillars" get city car allowances and special permanent parking passes to the Eisemann Center for the Performing Arts too? "I was just curious." Totally unrelated, but have you ever noticed that the pillars at Eisemann Center are a little skewed (concrete stacks don't exactly line up, probably intentionally), look at the "look" of the pillars for yourself.

I would rather have a process, and the chance at some objective organized feedback rather than counting on this council or any other council or board to monitor itself or hoping enough people show up to scare politicians into doing the right things. "Doctor heal thyself" and "we'll handle it don't worry about it," is the exact thinking and cajoling and dismissing that has caused the calls for an ethics policy in the first place.

Regarding complaints about use of "cellular devices," I personally do not care as much about who is tweeting, twiddling and fidgeting as I do about other things and that they are not repeated (repeatedly) and swept under the council rug (unless they are roving quorumming right in front of us). There are things equally or more off putting than someone quietly tweeting under the desk and not making eye contact. (Some of those kids can do more than one thing at once I heard. Some councils have those typer machines right on the shiney contraptions in front of them. In France, they wear those things at meetings in their ears that tell them what hamburger means.)

This would also include ending the end runs around citizens in issuing substantial debt like for a performance center or other things outside of and on the heels of bond election(s), things that were conveniently not prominently featured so citizens would know what was coming. Or funding certain things with taxpayer money outside of any vetting process that allows all interested (not just "friends") to apply if Council and CM is set on doling out, dealing out taxpayer dough, which isn't such a good idea many times, especially in those closed door sessions.

Not all organizations, non profits and otherwise, and people are treated fairly in my personal opinion as to access in Richardson with the use of city resources. Look at the numbers and arrangements, if you can get them and decipher them. Good luck with that, since the City is all transparent and everything and audits a city account and arrangements when multiple complaints have been received. Oh wait. Nevermind. They don't.

By the way, I have seen every one of these councilmen and all senior staff fiddling during council sessions. With "cellular devices." So the public remarks from the one councilman are him taking the shot to nitpick on A-dude (again) in public, which is their call to do that while representing the public, and trying to get at each other, that's nothing new with them, although it doesn't necessarily prove they all know how to actually operate the "cellular device, beeper," or city that they are fiddling with, while.

Their personal (own) belly scratching and fidgeting and bathroom leave is only mildly interesting, although it was funny in a non ha ha way when I had to show one of them that there was a another bathroom on the first floor of City Hall following him being handed the key and pass to City Hall Offices. If we want to go there, it should be mentioned that a couple of people complaining about personal fidgeting reek of cigarette stench and it is offensive when you sit next to people who still posses olfactory senses because I have heard them say so, although it does not really bother me personally about that or the failure to wear deo (I've been to Turkey, and to Amish country).

Also, for those hard of hearing, your unnecessary shouting and loud clapping hurts some peoples' ears, because I have heard them say so, so there are hearing aids that can help all of us with that. You shouldn't be embarrassed about wearing one, or two. Nothing else seems to embarrass Council that much. Then again, two of you need to learn how to lean forward from a reclined position (one of you) and speak a little louder into the microphone because we never know which way you are going to go until we hear it (and then it changes the next week, so nevermind). I know, I know, (more than) one of you particularly likes arranging results ahead of time with CM to suit your needs, but that doesn't always work out as you saw Monday night.

Oh, and your mother dresses you funny. And you are too fat, so stop profusely eating the double bag M&M's where you open one and pour the other one into it that you get from the Council snack basket during the meeting after dinner and dessert. And crunching so loudly. Ex'pecially Cheetos. And talking. And talking with your mouth full. Oh my, what big nostril and ear you have. Why doesn't it match the...

But seriously, I hope one day we shall get a mayor and a council that doesn't have their fingers and their special friends' and their family's fingers in our city coffer or seat fillers who uphold the nonsense and go out of their way to attack others who are different because they tweet, or don't and won't uphold the serious nonsense played behind the scenes or have a different religion, or country accent, or know how to speak French, or don't want flyover bridges to friend's parking lots, or who wear skirts, or know how to use a cellular device, or beeper.

The French Lesson In Health Care

here

Flashback: French ban on Red Bull (drink) upheld by European Court (blogging Richardson, Texas)

here

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Lisztomania

In France, You Can Pump Your Own Wine by the Liter, Gas Station-Style


Geekosystem.com, here

I communicated strongly with "representation" about the pitiful proposed ethics policy. Funny they saw how many had concern with it,


more than a misspelled word, and more than a couple of worms finally started turning. Why should it have come to that, to that extent? I won't get into the original lame answer I was given. Astonishing. Staff should not say they put the six months limitation idea in there or the "confidential" clause either.

Renewing car tag registration online should be rewarded, not charged the mail-in fee plus the online fee. You are charged less if you get into your

car, drive to the tax office, wait in line, use clerk time, and your time, and pay in person, instead of using the automated system. It all costs money, but is the policy to keep cars on the road and reduce productivity? Buy more fuel? Or what. "I was just curious."

Was talking to a barber I know. He cuts his shop hours down so he won't lose any of his social security money but says he would like to work more.

"social security"

Nearly half of US households escape fed income tax (blogging from Richardson, TX)

here

France hits back at criticism on Gypsy roundups (deportation of Gypsy / "Roma") (Blog Richardson Texas)

"France has a generous social welfare and is a defender of liberty, but we cannot accept that flow of people without any means to support themselves and their scandalous trafficking coming into our country"...

here

Twitterverse links France burqa ban and Eiffel Tower bomb threat. The French senate approved a ban on full Muslim veils, the AP reports. The bans will

go into effect next spring. The French police reported that.... more in Washington Post

France shouldn't ban burqas

One of the slogans of the Ministry of Truth in the novel "1984" was "Freedom is Slavery." George Orwell, meet Nicholas Sarkozy. The French president has led a successful effort to get his parliament to outlaw burqas and other garments that cover the entire body, including the face. Why? Because the burqa is "a sign of enslavement." He claims to be expanding freedom by taking away the right to dress as one chooses. Steve Chapman writes in Chicago Tribune.

Worker suicides at France Telecom

Five suicides of France Telecom employees in two weeks have raised concern in the partially state-owned company where 58 workers have taken their own lives since 2008. ... Not clear if related to working conditions at the telecom giant, which has 100,000 employees (in Paris). article

Thursday, September 9, 2010

TX 32 Congressional Candidate: John Jay Myers says "Stop Stealing My Stuff" (Blogging from Richardson, TX)

Stop Stealing My Stuff by John Jay Myers


to view larger, click four way video arrow above


Half ridiculous, but half not. That is a high percentage for a politician, so he's in the running.

I just discovered this video and wanted to share it with you.

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

French Unions Set New Protests Over Higher Retirement Age (Blogging from Richardson, Texas)

Shortfall has government planning to cut (edit: "cut" is not the right word, change) retirement age from 60 to 62. People living longer, along with recession, has strained the system (according to) WSJ article.

'Bob Dylan in America' by Sean Wilentz, hardcover, Sept 7, 2010. (Browsing new releases, in Richardson, TX)

As Stadiums Vanish, Their Debt Lives On (Blogging from Richardson, TX)

article (Ken Belson, New York Times, Sept 7, 2010).

DEAR C.E., GAS, BURGER KING, etc: Please release the tapes and prisoners from R-City Hall Underworld so they can move on with their lives by Halloween

Or the end of Ramadan (tomorrow). Or Christmas. But preferably Hall'oween. Since some people with tattoos in town are pagan or wiccan or something like that.

Richardson, Texas.



I'll bet since certain people won't have group voice mail to tell them what to think before all the certain meetings, they will be like accidentally somewhat banning things (as seen previously, live) or approving all kinds of scary imaginable unimaginable anticipated stuff.


Wasting Ramadan by Abdel-Moneim Said. Op-ed points to increased consumption with the fasting.

His commentary is here.

Friday, September 3, 2010

Le French flag



In all seriousness, I met both Gov. Rick Perry and Mayor Bill White several times and they are very likable people especially in direct conversation

Blogging from Richardson, Texas.

Bill White came across as more serious on the issues and challenges, and I am not just talking about who winked the most or showed off his seriously gorgeous boots or said clever or funny things, which both of them did as to the last part. White seemed more reasoned in general without being dispassionate. For them to have come this far in the political food chain means they are both cunning, in addition to being hardworking, but I have weighed what I know to this point about both of them (publicly available information) and their policies and performance and if the vote were today, I would vote for White.

I think both of them have a lot going for them and both of them have some baggage.

Ads.

I saw the ad that was run about Gov. Perry trying to have mandatory anti HPV vaccination of girls and I think that one ad will help quite a number of votes go to White because what Perry did is so the opposite of what he says he is for (or against). That and the handling of the Trans Texas Corridor idea. And remarks about Texas succeeding from the U.S. It's like a box of chocolates. (Hey, maybe chocolate can get you pregnant after all, or maybe just shot up with a govmint mandated pharm). Some complain he is predictable. Some delight he is conservative. I think that is only half it. (It's really like when you heard that Collin County Judge Keith Self voted for eminent domain but you just don't want to believe it's true. So it's all like when Ludacris finds out there's no Cognac left in France when he lands there for a party.)

I saw the real time equivalent of an ad that Gov. Perry did very well, whether that was his intentions or not, by meeting the POTUS on the tarmac and giving VJ standing behind the POTUS this letter about border security, a very serious issue. This contrasted with, well, not White. He wasn't there.

So much politiking to do, so little time.

I haven't seen any anti-White ads but I am sure they are out there or on their way. I have seen one of White's ads and I think it will be effective with only some people whose top worry is that he will help to go haywire on government spending and government growth. That is a worry I do have about him (and all politicians).

Contrasting that with Gov. Perry I feel Gov. Perry has taken a lot of power and put it all under his gumbrella that I feel has changed the nature of the Govoffice (Govrole) in Texas, which is also a contradiction to what he has said about what he stands for.

Gov. Perry has also not come through with offering more workable ideas to Texas' biggest challenges. Of course, I guess the same could be said when it comes to certain aspects of Mayor White's performance in Houston. In fairness, I'm not saying any single leader can do all that or should do all that. It's like they can make a positive dent, or peck. But if you are going to grab or seek power, you need to take an equal amount of responsibility for it according to how much you grab or seek. Some things don't need to be grabbed at all.

If I were a one or two or three issue voter, I would vote for Gov. Perry because I think he has the right stand on them, but they are issues that he doesn't have that much leverage on overall because already enough people support it to secure the issue well enough or the issue isn't what he is spending his time on anyway (not his focus). And he cancels them out to a large degree with me because of what he has said about gay people (they should just "leave" the state) when he didn't have to go there (regardless of his or anyone's position on gay marriage).

(That reminds me, I might want to blog about Mel Gibson and his consecutive rants against what some people think are different "classes of people.")

If Gov. Perry was actually politically who he claimed he was politically, I would vote for him to be governor again. The dime seems run out. For giving the governorship a go-go.

I think Gov. Perry will still probably win the race. I base this on two areas. The first is on image, coupled with his stated philosophy (whether he always practices it or not). Gov. Perry's image and stated philosophy just fits more with what more of the people who go out and vote think Texas was and is supposed to be, whether he is that image or whether Texas is that. It would feel like disloyalty to Texas to some voters to not vote for Perry. I like Rick Perry as a Texan. I love Texas. I don't think they are the same thing. The second reason is that his political machine and game is more organized, in power and focused than White's. He shows that at the beginning, with every primary.

(I liked George Bush as governor somewhat more than I like Rick Perry as governor. George Bush didn't act like an actor as much. Like he would go mountain bike riding on his ranch but it was just in a t-shirt and whatever and he wasn't so rehersed about these set up photo ops so it all seemed more real than when they put on all the logo swamped gear and ham for the cameras. George Bush as governor versus George Bush as president seemed like two different guys part of the time. The influence of political machinery is real strange sometimes.

That reminds me about something when I was trying to watch Glenn Beck and hear his review of his own rally that drew an incredible number of people, the one that it seemed most of the media was trying to make fun of and that hurt the feelings of some people who thought he picked the date and location as a swipe, which I think he probably did, but the rally can't be reduced to merely that. It was a big rally. It also reminds me of the Confederate Flag debate. I may blog about all that later. This all may seem disparate, but it isn't.)

Not with regard to this particular gubernatorial race, I usually find myself voting for the candidate I feel will be the least worst for now and for later (legacy impact). There have been a few times I have really wanted to vote for someone because I wanted to and not because they were the only choices of not that great a field. I have been pleasantly surprised a couple of times when someone has outperformed general expectations while in office. I also respect those who take political hits when they know it can potentially take them down with voters or with other politicians in the club who can break them politically but they do it because it is the right thing to do. Why can't those be the norm and who wind up staying a while.

I might blog about the Pete Session/whoever his opponent is contest next (edit: I mean Grier Raggio. edit: I mean and John Jay Myers.). Or the Kent/Carter contest. Edit: or Johnson/Lingenfelder or Self/Smith.