Richardson City Council Cover-Up

In a move away from transparency, the Richardson City Council amended its city ordinances Monday night by unanimous vote, without deliberations. Despite paying lip service to the value of openness and transparency, the new ordinance not only permits cover-ups, it demands cover-ups in certain circumstances. This change was slipped into the city council's so-called consent agenda, in which items are adopted without separate consideration and without deliberation.

What is the council covering up now? After the jump, the details.

Lake Highlands Homecoming Win

From 2013 10 11 Richardson vs Lake Highlands

The Lake Highlands Wildcats celebrated a 29-18 win over the Richardson Eagles Friday night.

More photos after the jump.

S2L77: Cappadocia

From 1977 04 08 Turkey

Cappadocia, in central Turkey, is one of those unforgettable places that combines otherworldly geology with spellbinding history. It's a land of fairy chimneys and underground cities where early Christians sought refuge from ancient Romans. They carved houses and churches from the soft volcanic rock or tuff. These were occupied for centuries until just a generation or so ago. Today, an open air museum showcases hundreds of such living quarters and dozens of churches dating back a thousand years.

More photos after the jump.

Inaction Items

You may remember I made something of a deal out of the fact that the Richardson City Council met away from city hall, without video cameras to record their deliberations, four separate times in August and September. The meetings were billed as "Council goals retreats."

It's over a month later now. What are the goals and near-term action items the council came up with? Follow me after the jump as I play detective to find out.

Review: The Elegance of the Hedgehog

Amazon

From The Elegance of the Hedgehog, by Muriel Barberry:

Apparently, now and again adults take the time to sit down and contemplate what a disaster their life is. They complain without understanding and, like flies constantly banging against the same old windowpane, they buzz around, suffer, waste away, get depressed then wonder how they got caught up in this spiral that is taking them where they don't want to go."

 

Profound thoughts of a 12 year old French girl, wise beyond her years, and of a 54 year old concierge, educated beyond her station. After the jump, my review.