RISD TRE for M&O

If Texas school funding discussions seem to bury you in acronyms (see the headline above), or terminology (recapture and "golden" pennies and "copper" pennies), or worst of all, dense spreadsheets, I feel your pain. The simplest thing to do, and actually wisest in many cases, is to elect good school board trustees, hold them accountable for doing their due diligence, then trust that their decisions are in the best interest of children, parents, teachers and homeowners.

The Richardson ISD board of trustees called a tax ratification election (TRE) for September 4 to ask voters to raise the district’s operating tax rate. You can find out all about the election, and why there is no good alternative, on the district's website.

Before the trustees acted, there was a public hearing at which the public had their say. Only a couple dozen people attended the public hearing. Pitchforks and torches were not in evidence. Only a half dozen or so of those people chose to speak.

"You Want All-Over? OK, How About This?"

Recently I had a conversation in which I wondered how many great painters are working today. A century ago, there was Matisse, Picasso, Rousseau, Mondrian, Kahlo, O'Keefe, Pollock, Dali, and more. Who can name anyone in their league today? The Dallas Museum of Art is currently showing an exhibition by Laura Owens, who it calls "one of the most influential artists of her generation." Well, OK.

POTD: La Gigantona

From 2018 01 26 Nicaragua

La Gigantona and El Enano Cabezon are giant dolls constructed on wooden frames that are paraded in the Central Plaza in León, Nicaragua. Both dance to the rhythm of drums. Accounts of gigantonas on the streets of León date back to at least the mid-1800s.

The Insult (2017)

Rotten Tomatoes

The Insult (2017): Lebanese Oscar nominee. A street insult ends up in court, uncovering Middle East wounds that never heal. At heart it's a personal story of two aggrieved and stubborn men and their struggle to deal with Lebanon's past and each other. B-

POTD: Momotombo

From 2018 01 26 Nicaragua

Today's photo-of-the-day was taken in the ruins of the Spanish colonial city of León Viejo, a World Heritage Site in Nicaragua. The volcano is Momotombo.

Momotombo is a stratovolcano in Nicaragua, not far from the city of León. It stands on the shores of Lago de Managua. An eruption of the volcano in 1610 forced inhabitants of the Spanish city of León to relocate about 30 miles west. The ruins of this city are preserved at León Viejo (Old León). It also erupted in 1886, 1905, and most recently November 30, 2015.

Source: Wikipedia.

A bonus photo is after the jump.

Repeat Tweets: Victim of the Crazies

Repeat tweets from May, 2018:

• May 1 2018: RT @tgiovenetti: "You did nothing wrong @daumkeziah. You are a victim of the crazies who spend their time criticizing others instead of just living their own lives."
  "crazies who spend their time criticizing others instead of just living their own lives." Today's award for unintended irony.
• May 3 2018: Avengers: Infinity War (2018): More like Infinity Cast. Full of deaths, resurrections, near-deaths, and scratches. Needs less over-the-top acting and more self-aware pop culture references. I did not see ending coming, but in hindsight, it's brilliant. C+
• May 3 2018: "Euless City Council Candidate Salman Bhojani Has Jonathan Stickland Very Upset."
  @AngieChenButton, you serve with Stickland and represent me. You need to call out this behavior for what it is.
• May 3 2018: RT @TXHouseCaucus: "Join us in unity as we celebrate today's National Day of Prayer with the rest of America."
  In your prayer, how about condemning the religious bigotry on display in the @TXHouseCaucus by one of your own? dallasobserver.com
• May 3 2018: RT @tgiovenetti: "Facebook continues to needlessly flounder. There is a simple solution for this: Social media platforms should only block content that is ILLEGAL."
  Yeah, that'll solve Facebook's problems. Turn it into a white nationalist bullying site.
• May 3 2018: Headline: "Mystery pooper at N.J. high school's track turned out to be superintendent, cops say."
  Reason #126 to be grateful to live in RISD.

After the jump, more repeat tweets.

David Brooks as Rorschach Test

The New York Times's columnist David Brooks is like a Rorschach test for Americans' view of politics. He equally pisses off conservatives and liberals alike. Conservatives because he refuses to pay obeisance to Donald Trump. Liberals because he pines for a mythic past that never was. His latest column doesn't disappoint. It's a Rorschach test that both sides can criticize. Let's unpack.

Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018)

Rotten Tomatoes

Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018): Finally a Stars Wars movie I like. Minimum mumbo jumbo about the Force, Jedi and the Empire. Instead a popcorn-worthy heist movie about the Millennium Falcon's first Kessel Run. Look for winks at classic movies and genres. B-

School Sports

I didn't think this needed saying. I didn't think this was controversial. But apparently, I was wrong, so here goes...

Every student should have the opportunity to play sports. But not every student should make the varsity team. There needs to be varsity sports, junior varsity, intramural, physical education classes, etc. Every student should be given a chance to play in a setting appropriate for his or her age and ability.

Book Club (2018)

Rotten Tomatoes

Book Club (2018): Four mature women seek to refind romance by reading "Fifty Shades of F*%#ed Up." Four great actors with so-so material. Hope this movie leads to more opportunities. Some laughs, some sympathy. Some of it falls flat, but satisfying overall. C+