Density versus Sprawl

Jim Schutze, Dallas Observer.

If the population of north Texas continues to grow, where we will house all the new people? There are only two options: either greater density or more sprawl. Lately, Jim Schutze has been writing on Facebook against so-called "gentle densification" efforts in Dallas. His arguments seem, to me, to lack logical rigor. It's not that he's not smart. He is. It might just be the nature of social media. Anyway, let's examine one of his responses to my own comment in which I suggested that sprawl is worse than density from a cost viewpoint. I said, "Sprawl creates the need for additional future maintenance. Density uses existing infrastructure."

The Wheel's Voters Guide (May, 2024)

Early voting for the 2024 local elections in Texas is underway. Election Day is May 4, 2024. On the ballot for Richardson voters (at least on my ballot) will be two races. Use Vote411.org to see your personalized ballot. Read on to learn how to vote.

Dune: Part Two (2024)

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Dune Part Two (2024): Epic. Outstanding world-building. Spellbinding cinematography. The stakes grow. The allegories get biblical. Paul is a prophesied messiah who drinks from a chalice, falls into a deathlike state, and is revived. Some plot points are still silly (e.g, with "atomics" in use, why is most fighting with swords?). A-

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POTD: Olive Oil Extra Virgin

"From Seville's palaces
To Ronda's forbidding cliffs,
Extra virgin bliss."
—h/t ChatGPT

From 2023 09 11 Ronda

Today's photo-of-the-day is from the countryside between Seville and Ronda, Spain. It shows some of Spain's countless olive groves. Spain is the world's largest exporter of olive oil. In 2022, 43% of the world's exports came from Spain.

POTD: Ronda's Plaza de Toros

"Plaza de Toros,
Bullfighting's historic ring,
Hemingway's retreat."

—h/t ChatGPT

From 2023 09 11 Ronda

Today's photo-of-the-day is from Ronda, Spain.

"The city of Ronda is home to the Real Maestranza de Caballería, the oldest and most noble order of horsemanship in Spain since 1485."

The Plaza de toros de Ronda is claimed to be the oldest bullfighting ring in Spain.

"American artists Ernest Hemingway and Orson Welles spent many summers in Ronda as part-time residents of Ronda's old-town quarter called La Ciudad. Both wrote about Ronda's beauty and famous bullfighting traditions."

A bonus photo is after the jump.