Review: Sing for Your Life

Amazon

From Sing for Your Life, by Daniel Bergner:

Each time he left the lobby, passing under the hotel’s marquee and facing Lincoln Center, in the middle of New York City, he felt even less at home. He climbed the broad steps to the Lincoln Center plaza and was surrounded by towering white stone columns that made him think of ancient stadiums—Olympians competing for Zeus’s pleasure and gladiators battling one another for survival. At the far side of the square stood the opera hall. This was the home of the Met, the greatest opera company in the country."

Those are the opening lines of the book. It sounds cliché, but this troubled youth's climb from a broken home across from a crack house to become an opera star with the New York Metropolitan Opera is real. It's a non-fiction story you wouldn't believe if you found it in the fiction section.

Silence (2016)

IMDB

Silence (2016): Persecution of Christians in 1600s Japan. Repetitious torture scenes. Where was God? Passionless. Where was Scorsese? C+

RISD Voters Guide - Addendum

Yesterday, I recommended a vote for Kristin Kuhne over Lynn Davenport for Richardson ISD Board of Trustees Place 7. The reason I gave was Kuhne's work with education research non-profit Educate Texas versus Davenport's association with conservative activist Alice Linahan. But judging a candidate by the company she keeps is not fair, unless keeping that company reflects shared attitudes, beliefs, values, and behaviors.

The Wheel's RISD Voters Guide

Election day is Saturday, May 6, 2017. Early voting is underway. I attended multiple candidate forums for Richardson ISD Board of Trustees, so you didn't have to (you're welcome).

• Richardson Republican Women's forum
• LWV/PTA forum
• JJ Pearce HOA forum

I also read the candidates' opinions on a range of topics chosen by The Wheel:

• School funding
• Vouchers for private schools
• Special education services
• Standardized testing
• PEG schools
• White Rock Elementary space needs

Based on all of that, this is how I decided to fill out my own ballot.

The Wheel's CoR Voters Guide

Election day is Saturday, May 6, 2017. Early voting is underway. I attended multiple candidate forums for Richardson City Council so you didn't have to (you're welcome).

• Richardson Republican Women's forum
• JJ Pearce HOA forum
• LWV forum

I also read the candidates' S.M.A.R.T. Goals.

Based on all of that, this is how I decided to fill out my own ballot.

LWV CoR Candidate Forum

On April 20 at the Richardson Civic Center, the LWV-Richardson hosted a candidate forum for the Richardson City Council. Six candidates for the three contested places took part: Cory Montfort, Mabel Simpson (Place 4), Marta Gómez Frey, Kashif Riaz (Place 5), Jared Weadon, Paul Voelker (Mayor).

A few of the questions plowed old ground from forums on March 21 and April 13, but there were some novel and interesting questions (and answers) as well.

S.M.A.R.T. Goals of City Council Candidates

According to classic management training advice, goals should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-based. You know, S.M.A.R.T.

So, I asked the candidates for the Richardson City Council, what one specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-based goal will you personally champion and seek to have the full city council adopt as a priority for the next two years? Why? (It is great to have several such goals, but for the purposes of this exercise, I asked the candidates to please choose one.)

After the jump, their answers.

Mohawk RISD Candidate Forum

On April 17 at Mohawk Elementary School, the JJ Pearce HOA, along with three neighboring neighborhood associations, hosted a candidate forum for the Richardson ISD school board candidates. Six candidates for the two contested places took part: Joseph Armstrong, Ben Prado, Karen Clardy, Eric Eager (all for Place 3), and Lynn Davenport, Kristin Kuhne (Place 7).

Most of the questions plowed old ground from forums on March 21 and April 12 — personal resumes, Lake Highlands overcrowding, school choice vouchers, technology in schools, teacher retention. But there's always something new in these forums.

Mohawk CoR Candidate Forum

On April 13 at Mohawk Elementary School, the JJ Pearce HOA, along with three other neighborhood associations, hosted a candidate forum for the City of Richardson City Council candidates. Six candidates for the three contested places took part: Cory Montfort, Mabel Simpson (Place 4); Marta Gómez Frey, Kashif Riaz (Place 5); Jared Weadon, Paul Voelker (Mayor).

RISD Candidates on WRE Space Needs

I asked the candidates for Richardson ISD Board of Trustees their opinions on a range of subjects. To limit bias on my part, I did not phrase the subjects in the form of questions. I invited the candidates to focus on whatever aspect of the subject they think is most important for RISD voters to consider when casting a ballot on May 6. My desire is to publish the candidates' opinions in their own words, so I will post their responses, unedited and without any accompanying editorial comment.

For readability, I've collated the responses by subject and will post the subjects separately. The topic of this post is "White Rock Elementary Space Needs."