OTBR: An Ice Road over the Baltic Sea

Latitude: N 58° 37.716
Longitude: E 023° 02.076
A child on a road trip with his family asks, "Where are we?" and the father answers, "Let's check the map. We're off the blue roads [the Interstate Highways marked in blue on the road atlas]. We're off the red roads [the US and state highways]. We're off the black roads [the county highways]. I think we're off the map altogether." It was always my dream to be off the map altogether.

After the jump, a few of the random places (and I mean random literally) that I visited vicariously last month that are "off the blue roads".

Who Killed D.E.? A Richardson Whodunnit

One question is guaranteed to come up at every Richardson mayoral debate. It's worded something like this: Who killed direct election of the mayor? OK, maybe not as dramatic as that. Maybe more like this: Did you support direct election of the mayor?

Amir Omar makes his answer the centerpiece of his campaign. He says not only did he support direct election of the mayor, but he took a principled stand in favor of it despite being warned that he would have difficulty winning re-election if he did so. Further, he accuses Laura Maczka of "leading the charge" against putting the matter before the voters in a charter amendment election.

Maczka denies Omar's charge, saying "it simply isn't true." She says she recognized that the city council votes weren't there to call a referendum on the question. There was no point to continue discussion and so she moved to end it. She says she has confirmed her account of what happened by going back and listening to the January 30, 2012, council meeting at which the issue was deliberated. She encourages voters to do the same.

I remember watching this drama play out in its first release. I reviewed it in "Campaign Promise? That Was Then". Here was my appraisal then:

Frankly, I was shocked with how cavalierly the council dismissed what I had considered to be a campaign promise. Not a promise as firm as, say, "Read my lips, no new taxes" but still, a consensus expressed during the campaign forums that it was time, after 25 years, to look into cleaning up our city charter and bringing it up to date. In one meeting, with no call for public input, with little or no homework evident on their own part, with no wrestling with conscience, the council quickly and decisively disposed of any further discussion of a charter review for this council term.

Source: The Wheel.

Still, in case my memory was faulty, in case the benefit of time might have me see things differently now, I took Maczka up on her call for voters to go back and watch it themselves. After the jump, what I learned from a second viewing.

Repeat Tweets: Berkner in Final Four

Repeat tweets from March, 2013:

• 1 Mar 2013: Headline: "Catholic Church goes leaderless." Not out of the hole yet, but at least a chance for Church to quit digging.
  
• 1 Mar 2013: @MikeHashimoto, Obama's real agenda: do things that are generally popular and that he campaigned and won an election on.
  
• 1 Mar 2013: Headline: "Europe's horsemeat problem hits Taco Bell UK." Write your own punchline.
  
• 1 Mar 2013: RT @SenTedCruz: "700+ more reasons for #FullRepeal [of Obamacare]." Quit whining and do something to enable health care for all.
  
• 1 Mar 2013: Edo slams it. Berkner Rams up 64-58 and win regional semifinal in overtime over Westfield by same score. It's a great time to be a Ram!
  

After the jump, more repeat tweets.

Mayoral Exam at UT Dallas

For the first time in Richardson history, city council candidates came to UT Dallas to face off in a candidate forum. The Wednesday forum was sponsored by Student Government's Legislative Affairs Committee and the Comet Debate Society. Mayoral candidates Laura Maczka and Amir Omar debated questions from the student government and the audience of about 75.

Anyone hoping the students would ask questions about, say, hookah bars, came away disappointed. Questions and answers were similar to the ones asked at earlier forums, and so won't be repeated here. Reread earlier blog items and you'll be all up to date. That said, there were a couple things said that the candidates didn't just copy from their previous exams. After the jump, a rundown of the new answers.

What Will The Mayor Do For Me?

The questions and answers at Richardson's mayoral forums have been heavy on the personal attributes of the two candidates, Laura Maczka and Amir Omar. What are their qualifications, experience, leadership skills, etc. For the April 2, 2013, forum held at RISD's MST Magnet School, sponsored by the Highland Terrace NA, I decided to take a different perspective.

I decided to keep my ears open for promises made by the candidates, promises of what they would attempt to accomplish in the next council term. The word "promise" is used loosely, as both candidates are aware of and emphasized that the mayor can't unilaterally implement anything, that without the support of the council, the city staff, and the community, any mayor's program can't advance. With that caveat, what I heard the candidates' promise is after the jump.

Eaton Canyon Emergency

So... we decided to spend a beautiful Sunday afternoon in Pasadena, California, hiking in Eaton Canyon.

From 2013 03 17 Eaton Canyon

It was the best of times...

More photos after the jump.

The Shelf Life of an Endorsement

A public spat has broken out between the Richardson Coalition PAC and Richardson mayoral candidate Amir Omar. Its roots are in the Richardson Coalition PAC's 2009 and 2011 endorsements of Omar for city council, endorsements the Richardson Coalition PAC doesn't want Omar calling voters' attention to any more. In this election, the Richardson Coalition PAC is endorsing Laura Maczka.

Let's go to the archives, so readers can judge for themselves who has the better claim to truth and accuracy in this spat. After the jump.

More than Wielding a Gavel or Cutting Ribbons

Recently, I reviewed the qualifications of the candidates for Richardson's mayor, Laura Maczka and Amir Omar, against the role of mayor. I focused on serving as presiding officer at city council meetings and representing the city on ceremonial occasions because those are the only two powers given to the mayor and only the mayor.

After the jump, the other powers of the mayor.

Candidates Clash at Canyon Creek

Richardson's mayoral election campaign heated up Wednesday night at the first forum for mayoral candidates Laura Maczka and Amir Omar. Interest was high as hundreds of voters overflowed the room. The candidates gave the standing-room-only crowd plenty to talk about.

First, some business that has nothing to do with the mayoral election. The forum was jointly sponsored by the Dallas County North Republican Club and the Richardson Republican Women. It was held at the Canyon Creek Country Club. Here, I'm obligated by my punditry license to insert a joke stereotyping GOP demographics: anyone who thinks that Republicans are a party of old white men, well, I can assure you that's not true. There were some women in the audience as well.

Both candidates were articulate, knowledgeable, and passionate about serving Richardson. Both have the experience and demeanor to serve as mayor. There were no gaffes to walk back or "oops" moments to be embarrassed about. Richardson will be well served with either candidate as mayor.

That said, I do have some random observations that voters might want to consider. After the jump, the forum details.

Around Town - Los Angeles

From 2013 03 16 Los Angeles

Space Shuttle Endeavour at LA ScienCenter

More photos after the jump.