Civics Class in the School of Hard Knocks

I was told to get involved. I did. I and others worked hard to be heard. We weren't. We were told the city didn't agree-I didn't know agreement was part of the deal? My civics classes and theirs vary.

Source: Facebook.

Let's say that this Facebook lament is about the Richardson city council voting to approve a rezoning request for the Palisades development despite vocal opposition from neighbors in Canyon Creek. Otherwise, the rest of this might not make sense.

Three things about this Facebook lament.

Love and Mercy (2014)

IMDB

Love and Mercy (2014): Brian Wilson. Moving biopic about a musical genius battling mental illness. The story behind the Beach Boys. A-

POTD: Hanoi Girls

From 2015 03 28 Hanoi

Today's photo-of-the-day -- two girls, cute, curious, friendly -- could have been taken anywhere, but happens to be from a village west of Hanoi. Children are everywhere in Vietnam, which isn't really newsworthy, but it is hopeful and promising, in Hanoi as everywhere.

POTD: Hanoi Woman

From 2015 03 28 Hanoi

Today's photo-of-the-day is from a village west of Hanoi. It shows a woman sitting in the courtyard of her home. Her posture, her gaze, her patience, were striking. I'm sure there are stories she can tell, but the language barrier limited my side of the conversation to a smile and a nod of the head. She never broke her gaze.

5,171 Texas Poppies

"The Richland College 'Poppy Project' is one major component of the college's 2015 Arts Fest. The 5,171 poppies are symbolic of the 5,171 Texas veterans who died during World War I."
"The Blood of Heroes Never Dies"

POTD: Healthy Black Smile

From 2015 03 28 Hanoi

Today's photo-of-the-day is from a village west of Hanoi. It shows a Vietnamese woman with blackened teeth. The methods used to blacken teeth and the reasons for doing it are varied, so I won't try to explain the practice in general, but at least for this woman, it's both deliberate and a source of pride.

Are Richardson's Goals SMART?

There's a common philosophy in management that goals should be specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-based. There's even an acronym for it: S.M.A.R.T.

Let's evaluate the "2015-2017 Goals" set by the Richardson City Council according to the S.M.A.R.T. standard. On second thought, let's not. You know, don't you, that they are going to come up short. And they do. Because the goals are pretty much the same as two years ago, let's just review what I wrote then, "The 'Wow Factor' of Richardson's Goals", when the city council of that time published its "2013-2015 Goals". Go ahead. Go off and reread it, then come back. I'll be here.

OTBR: Saguaro with a Helping Hand

Latitude: N 32° 40.848
Longitude: W 111° 11.736

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".

POTD: Hanoi Elder - II

From 2015 03 28 Hanoi

Today's photo-of-the-day is from Hanoi. It shows another Vietnamese elder at Thay Pagoda, one of the oldest Buddhist temples in Vietnam, dating back to the 11th century. He kindly served hot tea to us Western visitors. This temple is also the ancient home of water puppetry, which for centuries has been performed in a pavilion on a lake adjacent to the temple.

POTD: Hanoi Elder

From 2015 03 28 Hanoi

Today's photo-of-the-day is from Hanoi. It shows a Vietnamese elder at Thay Pagoda, one of the oldest Buddhist temples in Vietnam, dating back to the 11th century. He kindly served hot tea to us Western visitors. This temple is also the ancient home of water puppetry, which for centuries has been performed in a pavilion on a lake adjacent to the temple.