Our Recognized School District

The Richardson Independent School District achieved a rating of "Recognized" in the annual accountability ratings for Texas schools. There are four ratings: Exemplary, Recognized, Acceptable, and Unacceptable. The RISD was the largest school district in the state to earn the "Recognized" rating. Congratulations to everyone involved in the RISD, including Ellen, the linchpin of RISD's crown jewel, its Fine Arts program. :-)

Great Lakes Tour

Niagara-on-the-Lake (see more)

On the road for three thousand, three hundred miles in eight days! No two nights in the same place. That was summer vacation for the Stegers in 2007.

The mystery of the 5-cent Coca-Cola

The price of the first serving of Coca-Cola was 5 cents in 1886, about a dollar in today's money. Coke no longer sells for a nickel, and that is not terribly surprising. What is surprising is that it took more than 60 years for the price of Coke to change.

Tim Harford (Slate, May 11, 2007)

Frontier counties

The 2000 census found more "frontier counties" - that is, counties with six or fewer people per square mile - in Kansas now than in 1890.

Dallas Morning News, May 8, 2007

Black gold

"Even with high oil prices, Saudi Arabia's annual per capita income, at $14,000, is only about half that of oil-free Israel."

Edward Luttwak (Prospect, May, 2007)