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.