Zero Dark Thirty (2012)

IMDB

Zero Dark Thirty (2012): Torture porn. Controversial history. Little dramatic tension. I thought death of UBL would be more satisfying. C+

Protecting Richardson From More Apartments

Junior:
Tell me a story, tell me a story
Tell me a story, remember what you said
You promised me you said you would
You got to give in so I'll be good
Tell me a story, then I'll go to bed

Father:
Once upon a time I remember long ago

Junior:
Don't go back in history your memory's kinda slow

Source: Lyrics by Terry Gilkyson.

"Protecting Richardson From More Apartments." Uh huh. That's the story that we're being told. Not from a PAC but directly from the candidate himself, Amir Omar. Who wants to be mayor. Who has hired a high-priced political consultant to achieve that for him. Who has said he conducted telephone polls to determine the issues that are relevant to our residents. So protecting Richardson from more apartments must be one of those issues that plays well with voters. So, that's our story. But does the story match the history?

Let's go back in history to find out. After the jump.

More About That "Inner City" Remark

Laura Maczka's comments at the Richardson Tea Party forum afford me an opportunity to discuss something that Richardson needs to discuss. Unfortunately, campaign dynamics prevent the candidates from discussing it. In the campaign, Amir Omar's negative attack ads rule the day, aiming for distortion more than serious discussion.

Politicking rules the day online, too, but assuming local blogger David Chenoweth is serious when he says he's confused about what people really mean, let me try to help. He doesn't name whom he means by "one of her supporters," but for argument's sake, let's say he means me:

It is interesting to see how a campaign plays out.

No doubt by now, you have probably heard all about the comments Laura Maczka made at a Tea Party meeting. Laura stated that we are now an inner city and reinforced that statement with saying "We are no longer the suburb to the north."

She went on and then said "The demographics are going to demand that we make the changes. I think one of the biggest areas we are going to see the change is definitely going to be in housing. You know that word multi-family is something that is hard to swallow. And so I think more and more as we have lower economics folks moving in we are going to be able to have more affordable housing".

Her supporters are claiming she didn't really mean what she said. Interesting things seem to have developed from that. One of those supporters seems to now be at odds with what he wants Richardson to be. He wants Richardson to be urban big time, with stack 'em and pack 'em ruling the town. But in defense of his chosen candidate, he is saying she really doesn't want more apartments, which is in fact what he wants, high density. He is using her campaign literature to show Laura really didn't mean what she actually said. His endorsement seems to conflict with what he claims he wants.

So it can be confusing what people really mean.

Source: Just My 2 Cents Worth.

Always obliging, I'll try to clear up the confusion, at least regarding my own meaning. After the jump.

Repeat Tweets: Ted and Mike and Me

Repeat tweets from April, 2013:

• 2 Apr 2013: MT @SenTedCruz: "UN Arms Treaty should be rejected. It's international gun regulation, plain and simple." Leftover #AprilFools tweet, right?
  
• 2 Apr 2013: Headline: "In Nelson, Georgia., you now have to own a gun." I thought mandates were supposed to be tyranny.
  
• 2 Apr 2013: Hard to imagine, but print dinosaurs like @MikeHashimoto still use terms like "Chicago union thugs."
  
• 4 Apr 2013: .@SenTedCruz, folks in Lubbock have some of the worst uninsured rates in the nation. That's the result when govt gets out of the way. #wacko
  
• 4 Apr 2013: RT @MikeHashimoto: "Obama gives Hollywood a pass on violence." His hands are full trying to reduce real gun violence.
  
• 4 Apr 2013: RT @SenTedCruz: "Cut extravagant parties at the White House-not cancer treatment for Medicare patients." Really? Have you no shame? #wacko
  
• 5 Apr 2013: MT @SenTedCruz: "We must champion growth & it won't come from politicians in DC." No, but politicians demanding austerity can kill growth.
  
• 5 Apr 2013: RT @MikeHashimoto: "Don't blame sequester for awful jobs report, says even the NYT." @MikeHashimoto suddenly likes NYT. Who knew?
  
• 5 Apr 2013: MT @SenTedCruz: "over 4 years after financial crisis, the economy is gasping for breath." So, quit choking it. #NoToAusterity #wacko
  

After the jump, more repeat tweets.

The One With My Endorsement for RISD

Yesterday, I announced my endorsement for mayor of Richardson. I admit I was conflicted. After going from being very happy with both candidates to beginning to wonder if Richardson would be better served by having a third choice, I ended up endorsing more out of necessity than enthusiasm. Negative campaigning does as much harm to our city as it does to the opposing candidate. Anyone who engages in or tolerates negative campaigning loses stature in my opinion.

That's completely different from my attitude towards the Richardson school board race (RISD). After the jump, my endorsement.