Letterbox: a request from an "Andrew The L. El Liar" to meet over "chip and cookie jar koolaid" to discuss "visions" and "cave persons"

This was a little while back when I first started this blog and was soon after contacted about this. I say it is obviously a joke, but maybe not entirely, so my answer to the request of an "Andrew The L. El Liar" was that I did not trust him and I did not want to meet with him as he requested.

He then really went off about nobody but him having "visions" and that Richardson was not the great city it once was twenty years ago. He stressed that I must meet with him and he wanted "to interview" me.

I asked what his visions are.

His response was very unorganized, but in summary, he stated he was a "visionary." He explained what he thought was the real history of Richardson and that nobody but him knew it like and how he did. He said he loved writing ad copy. He said he and his organization had the largest continuous email list in town and he has great influence, so it would "behove" me to meet him. He went on to say he liked my ideas and said they were "unstale." (I looked up what "unstale" might meant and the closest explanation I found was that it was like the opposite of a stale chip. I found instructions on How To Unstale Old Chip that I will pass along to others who want to unstale chip. Anyway, he said he planned to use them and spread them around. He asked again if I would meet with him. He complained about people having common sense but it being "too common," and produced a diatribe about him "not being tapped." He concluded that he was accused of lying by so many people and accused of not being able to stop lying so he had decided to "use the idea." He did indicate that a "small amount of corruption" by the man he admires was acceptable to him because it gave him acccess to "a higher place that no one else could visualize."

I replied by asking him again to first tell me what his own visions are.

I never did get an answer. I really do not understand what he is all about. I have not heard from him since then.

I get the impression that he is a real person, but until he replies with an answer, I will not be meeting with him, not intentionally anyway.

Has anyone else received an invitation like this to "meet?" I would be interested in knowing.

Not to be incorrect about a comparison, but he reminded me of "Barb" (who was posting on blogs and who I had an exchange with a couple of months ago). "Barb" is someone on the council who does not like Omar, and he is jealous of him, in my opinion, but I get that because Omar attacked him, like right out of the cage, very skilled. I do not like him either, but I do not incessantly make fun of his Futon and Tweets, etc., and I can admit that he has talents. Like four other people who were recently on the council, at least he can get to the crux of a matter, so I give him that. But while I could be convinced to vote for them, with reservations in some cases, I would be extemely hard pressed to ever vote for him.

A few years ago, an older councilman sent an email to Highland Terrace neighborhood about an item where he pretended to be an actual resident of Highland Terrace named "Sandy" and several of us around city hall knew it was him because he let it slip. He was so angry at another councilman for grand standing and flip flopping, more than once. Plus "Sandy" was jealous of him taking credit for something (which was only partially something that the councilman actually did). (Thanks to someone else for reminding me of that episode).

I bring this up because "Sandy" is another one I would be hard pressed to vote for ever again, not because of his little emails against the other councilman, not because he makes fun of his accent, as he called it, or physical features of others he attacks, not because he is against things and then jumps on board when he sees it floating, not because he elbows out anyone he thinks he needs to in order to take credit for what is not his, but because of bigger, more important issues in combination with all those things. I was forced to vote against him finally last time when he ran for office (because of his actions). My hope is that he will not run again. If he does, I will come out against him.

And, one time about five years ago, one of the divorcing gadflys who had, to a point, teamed up with the same councilman who is "Barb" and his sidekick "Linda Sue" sent mean things in German (language) right after a forum at the Mosque. They had to do with how Muslims treated women. Now that was probably the most creepy thing that has ever been sent around, way more creepy than the white envelope in the mail sent to all the council candidates. It ranks up there.

Again "Barb" made an accusation as to who it was that sent the white letter that attacked the gladfly, but I am not entirely convinced that it wasn't "Barb" himself or team, although I think it probably was from who "Barb" said it was from. He said it was someone helping to head up the RC and one who is now on the Council.

I never did figure out the purpose in him/them sending out that unsigned letter about the gadfly except to discredit him. But, it wasn't as if they needed to do that since all but perhaps one candidate knew about that particular gadfly already and to a person realized what the white letter was saying about him was, well, pretty much true, but very mean, so it was a very "out of touch" attempt.

The gadfly had made up a bunch of stuff about nearly everyone, mixed with some actually true things, like the RC did, but unlike the RC, he didn't spend tens of thousands spreading his lies. But it is no surprise that someone would say something about him, but it is surprising that they wasted their eight bucks postage on that particular message about his personality, etc. And it was clear as coming from someone with their hands all over the elections, someone trying to get in there or stay in there, or keep their candidate in there, or more importantly to some, get the non team players off the council so they could control it better and go back to business as usual without so many questions. What actually happened was that there were people who defended the gadfly, who had and would have not done so usually.

I saw where the offended gadfly put in a public information request to the City of Richardson trying to figure out if "Barb" was telling the truth about having seen the same verbiage, that was used to describe the gadfly in the white envelope unsigned letter, in another email having come from the now-RC Councilman.

I do not know if the Secretary's Office gave him anything responsive to the request or not, but it would be interesting to know. I may pass by that way and glance at it.

I doubt "Barb" produced the email between him and the RC-now- Councilman and certainly the RC-now-Councilman wouldn't have because he is craftier and more upstanding and believable than even "Barb" (except to those who know better). Perhaps someone else will produce it who the RC-now-Councilman copied on that email and who also got ahold of a copy of that naughty unsigned letter.

As you may have picked up, while the facade of propriety and civility is sometimes feigned in public between some of these actors, to borrow a phrase from John Sweeden about something else, "peel back the onion." And now, thanks to them, more than just them and their sidekicks are kicking. I'd say they stirred some people up, people who had never been stirred up that much before.

Now some of this stuff amounts to nothing more than a hill of beans, because almost all of them had and are doing wacky things to each other, but when you get to the part where your business, important issues, your public hearing, and your money is concerned, and they have their and their sidekicks' filthy lying slick but sticky fingers in your cookie jar, you might just want to exam the ol' onion, cabbage, or what ever you want to call it.

It's propably like a forty pound cabbage, not an onion. So it's not like you should ignore it. A lot of people can be fed off a forty pound cabbage each time, whose grocery money and quarter acre it is in the first place.



photo: hgtv.com

City Council Agenda tonight, there are a lot of questions about the multi-unit development at Renner Rd and North Star Rd, AND NO to the monopole

For the zoning file concerning a proposed development at Renner and North Star, in Richardson, TX, one concern sent out via email by nearby residents who realized that a meeting was being held on the topic tonight, was the question of if it will allow only low income seniors (and not other seniors).

Another is that, like other multi-unit residential buildings that were originally meant for one type of tenant, if this is the case, it is a worry expressed that it can be used for other low income housing later on (converted), so that will need to be addressed.

Others have said that enough apartments have been built in the area, so are not in favor of the proposal.

This request or particular case has been in the works for a while it appears, and it seems to have slipped by the notice of some panhandle residents (given the very late emails and most basic of questions). Churchill Residential, Inc. is the applicant (represented in part by a recent former City Plan Commission Member and huge Bill Keffler schmoozer-- he speaks at the microphone and everywhere else about how wonderful Bill Keffler is, and I agree he is in many ways, but he carries on like Mr. Keffler needs so much defending for all his actions, I can't totally know what else he is being defended for doing that hasn't already come out or is being schmoozed about). Now I see some more information about tonight's case:

In February 2010, the City Council approved Resoultion 10-03 authorizing Churchill Resdential, Inc., to act on behalf of the City in applying for HOME (Housing Trust Funds from the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs/ TDHCA) for this particular application.

Tonight's hearing is:
Public hearing, zoning file 10-05: A request by Richard Ferrara, representing Churchill Residential Inc., to amend the PD Planned development zoning and request a special conditions (sic) at the southwest corner of Renner Road and North Star Road. The property is currently zoned PD Planned Development.


There are several things going on with the agenda tonight.

On another case, I ask that the DART request for the 195 foot monopole downtown be put somewhere else. There are other more suitable options. Or if it is just insisted and has the votes to be agreed to, it be less gigantic (less thick and at a lower height) for now because it does not have to be that huge and have all antennas right there at that location. It can be tall enough and still do it's job, but it doesn't have to be that gigantic and it doesn't have to host all the antennas there. If you noticed, the shopping center at Jupiter and Belt Line was made even uglier when the CPC and City Council about in '06 approved a pole smack in the middle of the parking lot. It really made an ugly situation uglier. That one is very small compared to this proposed structure. Please do not put that monopole there down town, out of place/context, and if you think you just have to, please do not make it so gigantic and gosh ugly. It really needs to go in better locations and not there. There are other options.

If you can find all that money in the budget to freeze people's taxes, Mr. Omar, then why don't you just make it lower for EVERYONE in Richardson, TX

Well, like I told you, the senior tax freeze battle was on its way and here it is.

It's not surprising that Mr. Solomon won't say his position. I already told you about that. I predict he will be the next mayor (but not if Mr. Omar can pull it off). Bad PR is still PR. Maybe he can win the precinct (neighborhood vote) in which he lives next time.

I'm glad to see Mr. Macy has flip flopped and gone in with the others who oppose freezing taxes for some but not others. That just may be a signal that he's not going for another term and has someone picked out and is championing and wheeling and dealing (maybe someone near and dear who got a city contract, eh?). Either way, we know he will keep his finger in the pot.

It is definitely no surprise that Mr. Slagel, true to form, is slyly not stating a (today) position because he needs to not come across as throwing Mr. Omar under the bus because they need each other, big time right now. (And, don't forget about the history legacy project. "He'll go down in hissstoorrrryyy.")

I have no doubt that Mr. Omar's plan will make sense for a select group who he has to retain and who he pandered to big time, but again, if all that bling, I mean tax payers' money, can be found to freeze or exempt taxes for one group, it should be spread around to all of us. Some of us are getting real tired of subsidizing others against our wishes to such a level. We've already had to subsidize all the forever and increasing exemptions and all the school tax freezing. This is when we and our families and relatives can no better afford it than those getting the exemptions and freezes. It just isn't right.

Exemptions and freezes are never "revenue neutral," Mr. Omar. That is just not so. They have consequences. They distort, for better or worse. Why would you freeze someone's taxes, say Mr. Chuck Eisemann's or Ms. Jerri Leftwich's or Mr. John Tanner (who all helped to raise taxes in Richardson) but charge it to me and my neighbor. I realise you have not been owning real property and experiencing the paying of real property taxes in Richardson all these years and have a spankin position, but gosh. Oh, maybe I do get the two other reasons you are doing this.

And no, before you complain, the reason I have no problem taking swings at him and people like him who threw punches left and right is I just disagree with him on this issue, and other issues, and because they threw the punches first, mercilessly and needlessly, and made personal attacks. And they do not make amends. That reminds me of when one woman bought into his race and religion baiting. So, she walked up to this other guy and says, "oh, how could you!" Like with the Stef Carter/Murphy Turner baiting business, as in no, I've never thought Mr. Omar was a janitor, or religious cleric for that matter, or elephant trainer. And, I also liked him until I saw and heard his under belly first hand.

I do find it amusing not that Mr. Omar is chiding staff (after spending hours of their/our time, and his) and also that he is getting a taste of the medicine that if CM and Mr. Mayor and whoever has his coat tail (city resources) at the moment don't really want a proposal being heard in public that much, they try to strongly disuade it by stonewalling and ignoring. You couldn't get away with that to such a degree on some councils because they have council operating rules. I'll give Mr. Omar a clap for pushing his political (save Omar who made promises) agenda, with no style points this time. It just might pay off for him, but I hope this particular promise he is pushing does not come to be.

I am only saying what some of you are thinking and saying: If that other city had more stringent rules on credit card use and

if people didn't loan their gun off premises to an unlicensed carrier or if, rightly or wrongly surmised, antidepressants were not misprescribed or under monitored, or even if the public eye focus wasn't on keeping up with the joneses ... it still wouldn't stop some tragedies like the one in the news this week.

Maybe the following of some guidelines could help many situations however. Things don't operate in a vacuum.

As one example, if you look at our city and probably many other cities, there are insufficient checks and balances on the credit cards usage under the city manager's office. The method of having an employee, that may be hired or fired by any CM in any city, not just this one, approving (or accounting or categorizing) a CM's personal use versus city use, charged on the same cards, is not an ideal set up. Further, some of the charges are to dine the council members, among many others, and among other things, so the CC would not be an impartial overseer either. I do not know of written guidelines of the city that the city manager can spend on a council member for dining them and so forth. Also, there is not an ethics policy. This is not a fleshed out, written council rules of procedure.

I think checks and balances will finally be put into place now, with written, published policy on such matters, and the advice and request to do so will be heeded. Things like that are important for a city, although many people do not believe it. (Also, a charter review is in order.)

Along the same lines, the city should please place the city checkbook (all accounts, tracking of all funds) and all credit card account transactions (line item payee/purpose/amount/date/time) on line.

Just Think, A Council Retreat Could Be At Mayor ProT Bob Townsend's Son In Law's Ranch, Y'know the one on the TX Water Development Board, via TI way

Miles away from Richardson, Texas. That was the plan a couple of years ago but fortunately someone, who is no longer on the council, put the kibosh on it. Oh how the wise self described "council elder" sneering (and bird flipping, cursing, character assassinating, whisper campaigning, chiding and condescending) began in earnest, which wasn't a new thing because others have seen and received this treatment. You would have thought it was as if someone asked to actually meet a person before they agreed to go along and appoint someone to a city board or something. Oh, the further nerve! The same nose out of joint assuming guy attacked again on that basic request. It was very disappointing and painful to see this behavior from him against others who were (and are) doing the right things. Unacceptable that when someone doesn't want to meet away from the City Hall or wants to practice due diligence or who isn't as good Mr. Condescending #2 considers himself, they get attacked and bullied, or at minimum sneered at so others can see, by one of the so called standard bearers.

Of course, because even the non head bobbers aren't anarchist and magical enough to spin straw into gold, they get attacked by those who simply loath anyone once they get on council.

This week is budget "retreat" time and I have said and agree with the few people who are watching that it is a step backward to have the budget "retreat" not broadcast this year, 2010, when it can full well be. It is the people's business and it should be as accessible as any other council meeting. The excuse line about it being tradition to hold it away from City Hall is lame.

In 2007, the retreat was at City Hall.

It worked out just fine logistically (why wouldn't it) and was very productive and transparent on the surface (as it could be without being broadcast, which was opposed by too many who were playing political games, and considering who all was there, and wasn't there, notwithstanding the missing account information and all the spin, and the "who's the mayor, no I'm still the real mayor" tension and what came after).

But sadly the overlords and the people pleaser overruled and it went back to the "Richardson Women's Club." In a recent year it went back to City Hall (purportedly because of Club parking lot reconstruction or problems, interesting that, but who does know for real, I do not know if that is what happened or is the accurate reason or not).

In years prior it was at the Club. I really didn't see the need for it there other than confusing one or two people who wanted to attend as to where the meetings were, not that more than two people bothered to sit through it all the way (or stay awake some years, including some council members who dozed. That was part of the beauty of it for some. That and the beer).

Remember when Gary Slagel, when he was not the mayor of record, and Bill Keffler, with the submission of a part of the council, conducted a non posted meeting in 2007, billing it as a celebration for just the council and city manager, but led by Gary, with the senior staff huddling expectantly upstairs, when executive sessions were suspended, to give "the high five" to signal Bill was going to get a raise and by how much (and so would the senior staff because raises roll down hill, usually). But that was broken up, again, by someone who is no longer on the council. Actually, it was a walk out. Some of those people are just not "team players" enough don't you know. It's a cultural thing.

So you see, things could be worser, couldn't they? How would you know?

A little hint, do not trust that you can get everyone to uphold and participate in such nonsense. Don't let any calls go out. Do not trust that all the senior staff and secretary have stayed put upstairs. You do not know who will hear. You do not know who will see the comings and goings. You have waited until you got rid of all the "visitors" but have any come back? (You know, that happened that other time, oopsie). Why don't you just shut down the parking lot too, you know, for extreme privacy. Now that is real privacy. Oh wait, what about the roads leading in. So many things to cover. Hey, what about holding it at UTD on Keffler Blvd or Slagels Way or Fossil Bridge that is to be built around, or whatever it all gets named. The drive access at those places will be limited too.

Of course, some other people who are not "team players" show up at the visitor's section at council meetings and say really unusual things. What is said makes people conclude things like those commenting on state law don't want to read or understand state law (either). Or check with their own neighborhood when purporting to represent them. Some of them feel that they know something is happening, but they don't know what it is. Or can't explain it. Nor do they seem to care to understand or listen or read, so they come across as slinging noodles against the refrigerator to see if anything sticks.

Are they? Mostly, but not always. Some are looking at the spirit of what they would like to see and have asked for over and over again and not necessarily the technicalities. That is not always a bad thing. It doesn't come across well though if you are an attorney or quoting law and forget to say how you can contradict what the law says (like point to another controlling line of code or something that allows you to make that certain statement, that would be helpful to the point).

I have seen at least one guy flat out make things up who has helped sue our city. I don't deny that he has some very valid points however. Nine times out of ten that mixture gets a limp pile of noodles on the floor to be picked over. Even if someone wanted to agree, with the core spirit of why someone is upset, stuff like that makes it difficult to do so, but not impossible.

I still have to agree that just because something is permitted under the law for a council to do, if it is, does not mean they should do it, especially when the Charter says they shouldn't. Or that people should defend them doing it, refusing to acknowledge the spirit of fairness that others are asking for over and over again, which is even sadder.

And for the things that are not permitted, like a non posted quorum meeting of the council to signal, before the actual posted meeting weeks later, whether the city manager's pay will be raised, you know, for his planning purposes, they shouldn't be doing those things at all outside a posted meeting.

I think Richardson is a very good city and well run in many regards, but it could be even better. Mostly it functions well despite some poor steps of government, some funny business, but it could not function without government as well as it does overall obviously. I don't like seeing its reputation or locale tarnished and people treated unfairly, especially tax payers, so I won't pretend like everything is perfect but everything isn't horrible. Some things are nearly perfect and some things are very far from it, mostly in between.

Some extremely biased but official sounding sources pronounce that citizens should complain to the state, not city council or CM about city actions on a recent matter because state law trumps. The argument basically goes that the council simply does what they are allowed to do by state law (and then some).

So gosh, where does that leave us here at home?

I don't really buy into that. It is not the best, or only, avenue. The city council members who took the actions are the ones who decided to do that.

Texas districts' suit for Oklahoma water rejected

Tarrant County district's bid for Oklahoma water dismissed

By BILL HANNA, Star-Telegram.com, Posted Friday, Jul. 16, 2010

excerpts

Joining the district's legal fight were three other Metroplex water providers: Dallas Water Utilities, the North Texas Municipal Water District and the Upper Trinity Regional Water District.

The Tarrant water district is seeking to divert more than 130 billion gallons of water from river basins just north of the Red River and provide it to the region's growing population, which is expected to hit 4.3 million by 2060.

Oklahoma Secretary of the Environment J.D. Strong said the judge's ruling "strengthens Oklahoma's right to control the use of its most precious natural resource and enables the state to meet its interstate water obligations."

"The action is welcomed by TRWD (Tarrant Regional Water District) as the matter can now be expedited to the appeals court, which will make the ultimate decisions in the case," said Jim Oliver, general manager of the water district. "Today's ruling sets a clear path for us to continue to vigorously affirm our right to acquire water in Oklahoma."

Read more

What's up with two lead gadflys on either side getting divorces. That's sad, but not surprising. I expect more to come, unfortunately.

Some people do some even crazier things when they lose their women through death or divorce. Last year is proof of that. Things could get even crazier from these guys this season than in prior times. I just hope they do not go as far as the other two guys and their stumbling wings falling off attacker did last time. Oh and their "flying below the radar" two young whipper snapper guys. They all made a mockery of civic "affairs" with help from those they assign themselves to protect and defend, who do not deserve it.

Letterbox: A blog tip from a reader on how to open links in their own browser window, pros and cons

Before I had updated my blog template a month or so ago, I had added a simple feature that makes a link open into its own browser window. A reader noticed that I didn't have this feature, so offered the tip on how to do it. Thanks for the tip and I will consider adding it back in however the reason I had not made it a point to add it (again) is that I have kept a very basic, but interesting enough web site to come back to (at least people who have contacted me have said I do) and here is pretty much how I was thinking: here (it shows the tip)

Let me know if you know of some reasons in favor of each link opening up in its own browser other than trying to keep people on my blog. I would appreciate knowing.

Speaking of gaga for sparkle: 'National Night Out' gets a green light for fireworks, Saginaw News (Blogging from Richardson, TX)

SAGINAW TWP. — Although last year's National Night Out held at the Saginaw Township Soccer Complex was a big hit, this year it will add a big bang.Saginaw Township Board of Trustees approved a plan for a small fireworks show at the conclusion of the event scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 3. more

Stevie is one of my favorites (blogging from Richardson, Texas)

Time capsule.

One Area Biking Blog Has Picked Up On Maggie May USA Farmer's Market...He says that he got it as an idea in his new "suggestion box" (Richardson TX)

That's great. The poll count as of today is 82 to 1.

I celebrated the 4th of July w/ relatives in our big, but country rivertown and it was like the wild wild west, fireworks, shooting, the days, nights

Surreal. Roofs were threatening to catch. A few of us were sitting out on the huge covered front porch, listening to what sounded like a war zone and watching the fireworks flaring all over the place. I had the thought that the police were being called out all over town, but there would not have been enough of them to make a dent regarding complaints of roof hitting, car dinging, hair scorching rogue fireworks. So then I wondered if this was just the way it was now there and if very many people even bothered to call when amateur firework ordnance flew about the rooflines and all over the place. Everyone thought it was probably more commotion than usual in part because of the holiday falling on the weekend. It wasn't quite like that as a kid, for one, not that many could afford THAT many fireworks outside a few organized sponsored ones.

A few times, several of the family pooled together and put on a show up at one of the farms (usually my Aunt's), but they stayed clear of structures.

Oh, those were fun times as long as you got out alive and not too banged up.

Growing up, the black people at the place next door would hold Roman candles in their hands and shoot them at one another in the middle of the road. Momma wouldn't let us kids join in on that when invited. Something about putting out an eye. Now it is many Hispanic families in the area and many were having Roman candle fights that lasted a lot longer. They didn't seem to care that they were shooting them at houses.

Back then (and still today) some of the boys around there would use pop bottles to shoot off bottle rockets or just light them and throw them up in the air. It didn't have to be no 4th of July. It wasn't unusual to hear of eyes being put out. The only thing I knew about directly was a white boy who hung around some relatives on the mountain knocked a big chunk of bone and flesh off his elbow and back side of his arm one summer that involved fireworks and pop bottles. It was not something the weak of stomach would have appreciated seeing. (There was a cigar puffing man with a glass eye who walked around town giving nickles out to little girls, but I don't know how he came by losing it, his eye. There was also a one armed man, but that was from electrocution, his missing arm, up to the shoulder. I might tell later about him and the time he came to our house. He was a nice and very productive person).

I hear a few firecracker pops in Richardson during and surrounding the holiday, but other than the organized displays, not much, until you hit down south and east of Buckingham.

We went to the organized display and sat right by the river listening to the band. Stuff like Mustang Sally and Chicago's 25 or 6 to 4 . It was all very impressive and romantic and made us happy to be in the USA. It wasn't very crowded because it had sprinkled and wasn't, isn't a metroplex, and apparently it was more fun to just about everyone to do their own displays.

Since the whole world there was banging, into the night the whole weekend, we decided later to dig into our sparkler stash that we had put together.

These sparklers with the woodstick handles blew. Does anyone remember the pretty ones, the ones on little somewhat floppy metal sticks that would burn your fingers as they progressed? You had to be old enough (have long enough arms to keep it away from your face) and brave (and tough) enough to handle a chemical coated spark spitting glowing, getting hotter by the second, metal stick. You would have to be careful not to get too many spark bites on your arms or legs and not step on the hot spent sticks after you let go of them. One of the thousand rites of passage. Oh safety, sometimes you are a damper. I still haven't come up with an equally exciting passage for the wee ones as that. You had to make sure at the stand that you didn't get charged full price for the ones that had half the spark caked off the metal stick.

We had some small fountain fireworks that were very nice that we set off in the back. Muggy night, one dud, but the mosquitos had turned in for the night which was good.

We all helped a relative on a home project.

It was a fun, disconcerting at times, interesting, family oriented, patriotic, romantic and productive couple of days before scrambling back home to Rland and the salt mines.

Here is a Franz Ferdinand song. I like their Take Me Out one better, but this below video reminds me of this post regarding fireworks, and a previous post about S.O.B.'s, about neccesary and unnecessary beaurocrats, about people meeting behind closed doors manipulating a city or others, about the envelope that all the Richardson, Texas, city council candidates last time reported getting in the U.S. mail with no return address (more about what I heard about that later), and a creepy post on another blog about burning things down (hopefully that was someone's warped and sick sense of humor and not for real, but there are some super sicko people in the world and they actually do want to poke your eye out, so listen to your Momma).

The bling (diamond, used for hypnosis) at the beginning of the video reminds me of that mailer from a councilman candidate last time in Richardson, Texas, that had all the bling on the front of it. It was filled with scare and bling bling promises, but it is one of those things you can't help but think was a joke or trick when you got it, it was ridiculous, but something like that needs to be taken seriously because so many people believed it.

25 or 6 to 4 by Chicago.

Ducks At Duck Creek in Richardson, Texas, December 2005

This photo was taken about during the time that a woman in poor health living nearby (over)fed the ducks profusely and reliably for a good while, and wasn't convinced to stop for a good while either, with the help of her husband who would bring her out to the creek, as one of her enjoyments in life, but it caused challenges. Please do not feed the urban wildlife. Do not teach others to feed the ducks. It nearly always leads to problems, especially when it is done too much, too often. (If you feed them, think of the others who might be doing the same, but like in 50 lb bag quantity. It can add up).

They quacked and seemed to enjoy posing. Well, they thought someone had come to feed them again probably. Or maybe they wanted a drink of cleaner water. (The sparkle on top of the water captured by digital camera is chimerical).

This reminds me. I have one neighbor who feeds the squirrels and the neighbor across the street shoots them with his little pellet gun because he says we have so many and he gets mad when they get into his garden. I told him if he was going to kill them he should learn how to dress, cook and eat them (except the brains). He said he was guilty over it and I haven't heard or seen him doing it this month. He stands in his front yard and shakes his head when he sees the other guy come out to fill up the feeder, who apparently despite being asked by the other guy, like the duck feeding lady did, sees it as his enjoyment in life.

I did not bring up the raccoons. I didn't want those two feeding and shooting on them too.

Garden netting. Chicken wire.

I better manage letterbox bunny to steer clear.

I was reading about estimated census results on USA Today yesterday. And, is this the way of it?

Texas cities are emerging as the growth leaders, according to the July 1, 2009, estimates. Four of the 10 fastest-growing — including No. 1 Frisco — and 11 of the top 25 cities that have populations above 100,000 are in Texas.

Sunbelt not so much.

Minorities leading growth.

Richardson Texas 103,201 12.7% (percent change 2000 to 2009)

Here's one exchange:

Jackov (67 friends, send message) wrote: 6/23/2010 10:44:45 AM
"pedalit (4 friends, send message) wrote: 1h 37m ago
boom cities=booming crime, sprawl, traffic, expense and last but not least, booming disconnect in the community. i like these articles 'cause i can cross them off my list of places to move to (i've moved a lot) without making a visit or even a phone call"

=====Only useful advice for families & seniors.. I love boom towns like Vegas. MORE DEATH=LESS RENT. I have no interest in community, churches or schools. I rate cities on sleaze & cheap luxury rentals.The majority of adults are now SINGLE.
m [Jackov]

USA census article (last week).

What does this week's SCOTUS ruling say about guns that is common to what is generally held regarding sexually oriented businesses?

You can regulate, but can't ban them.

I agree with that.

Speaking of which, Richardson's S.O.B. ordinance has a flaw worse than the uproar it was trying to plug with that rewrite.

I guess the plan in Rtown is to just keep things crossed real tight that more Zone d's don't visit upon here. (Or Fuzzy's type places either, in my opinion). I think they will and Rtown is not that prepared.

(At least one councilman exclaims, "This place is so cool!" I will let you do your own research regarding which place he was promoting.)

Some people think none of this is any big deal, it is just life, sex is. Let's not be hypocrites, let's be more ____ (fill in the blank. European. Open-minded?) I feel differently, so call me non cosmopolitian, call me a gun toting NIMBY, or what you will. I recently visited my birth town. It was a sad sight to see that it had a triple ex adult shop as you rolled into town, with blazing giant cartoonish displays pointing the way (which was obvious because it was right on the main road). It is not like you can immediately turn off the channel or close the browser when you and your family have to pass by to get to where you need to go, or worse, by where you stay or live. The two towns on the way in had been hit too. I am sad to see it, and more sad when a five year old says, "what is that? what's the x's spell? can we go there? ooooh, those are preetttyyy lightss!"

In balance, it doesn't make up in taxes what it costs. It doesn't add a good element or a good reason for speaking well of a town, in my opinion.

I support concealed handgun right to carry and I support concealing adult sex clubs and shops too from being left out on the public's main streets in front of our kids and those of us who don't want that "gentlemen's club" or strip club or porno shop in our faces when we use our main streets and entry portals (to speak the city planning lingo). (I definitely don't want to see it subsidized, like one club that seems okay with that type of thing in town.)

What is the deal with soccer players anyway?

We were hanging out with three FC Dallas players and they could not stop with the incessant, simultaneous, chatter. I mean, it went on for like hours. I had to ask, does soccer do that to your brain or what? I never noticed it before. The answer was, yes, yes, yes. It does!
Okay, so it was great fun, you should notice I wasn't forced to stay (NIMLR=not in my living room), and we will do it again (NIMLR style, so I can leave when my head or eardrums threaten to explode), but I am considered warned (when you get above the count of one obsessed soccer player, all bets are off. I'm not so sure that wouldn't be the case with just one obsessed soccer player all by himself. Sorry, yes, I said that. Or maybe just one obsessed fan. Yeah, I said that too. I'm serious, you people are obsessed).

Happy Birthday USA

Tips for Preventing Heat-Related Illness

here. We lost a neighbor in Richardson, Texas. Prevention is important.

Designers I Like: Jean Luc Cornec. Sheep and Telephones. (Blogging from Richardson, Texas)

rotary dial

telephone sheep

by Jean Luc Cornec

I Heard Dolly Parton this AM on Fox & Friends. It reminded me of how much I like her. She's an example of a business woman in a non traditional...

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.

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.

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.

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)

For Kitty G., because you know what a Theremin is. (Richardson, Texas)

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.

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.

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. "

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.

Just because _you_ don't know someone is actively contributing, doesn't mean they are not. People contribute not necessarily on another's narrow terms

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.

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?

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.

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.

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.

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, 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.

I knew slash told ya so: Dallas News: Agricultural census shows number of farms - especially small ones - rising

read more.

Hey, bloggermo', did they try to count your chickees? :- )

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:

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.

Chip Number 3, Nothing Ever Hurt Like You

The sound starts at :15.
The song is found here.

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.

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.