Chasing Squirrels in Richardson

DUG: "My master made me this collar. He is a good and smart master and he made me this collar so that I may talk -- SQUIRREL!!"

Source: Up.

The dog in the movie "Up" may have been fictional, but we all have a little bit of his weakness for easy distraction in us.

The League of Women Voters of Richardson presented an educational program on the question, "Is the current city charter right for Richardson?" You'd hope that it would prompt a productive discussion about what changes, if any, are needed to make Richardson's city charter work better for Richardson's residents in the 21st century. Instead, it's like the city has decided what's really important is ... SQUIRREL!

After the jump, chasing squirrels.

Amending the Texas Constitution for the Umpteenth Time

This November 8, Texans will once more go the polls and vote on a slew of proposed amendments to the Texas Constitution.

Proposition 1: Homestead Exemptions for Disabled Veterans' Surviving Spouses

Ballot Language: "The constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to provide for an exemption from ad valorem taxation of all or part of the market value of the residence homestead of the surviving spouse of a 100 percent or totally disabled veteran."

That's the first of ten such amendments. I know what you're thinking -- why is a constitutional amendment needed to make a minor tweak to the homestead exemption for property taxes? Don't we elect representatives to make informed decisions for us on such details? The answer is that, historically, Texans so mistrusted government that we enshrined many details of governance in our constitution, thus requiring a vote of all Texans to decide even the most mundane issues. Because of this, not surprisingly, the Texas constitution is a mess. Even the tea party agrees, and you would think that if anyone would be sympathetic to shackling the powers of elected representatives, it would be the tea party.

After the jump, how you should vote.

Excerpts: Moonwalking with Einstein

Amazon

From "Moonwalking with Einstein," by Joshua Foer:


Once upon a time, there was nothing to do with thoughts except remember them. There was no alphabet to transcribe them in, no paper to set them down upon. Anything that had to be preserved had to be preserved in memory."

After the jump, my review and more excerpts.

All Hail Huffhines Art Trails

From 2011 10 Huffhines Art Trails

A rare overnight downpour and hailstorm failed to dampen the spirits at the Huffhines Art Trails, even if the weather did noticeably suppress the turnout. As one artist said, the straw used to cover the mud complimented the rustic feel of her booth.

To see more photos, look here.

Homecoming Spoiler: Berkner 46, Richardson 21

From 2011 Football

The Berkner Rams spoiled the Richardson Eagles' homecoming celebration Friday night at Eagle-Mustang Stadium. The Rams scored on their first play from scrimmage and never looked back on their way to a 46-21 victory. The win puts the Rams in great position to secure the #3 playoff spot in District 9-5A, behind Skyline and Jesuit.

More photos from this game, and all of the 2011 season, including the bands and color guards and drill teams and cheerleaders and everything else that goes into making high school football the best value in Friday night entertainment, can be found here.

What I Learned from LWV about the City Charter

Wednesday night, the League of Women Voters of Richardson presented a program "Is the City's Current Charter Right for Richardson?" I had low expectations for this program. Maybe I was just in a bad mood because, long after the LWV set its date, the opening game of the World Series, featuring the Texas Rangers, ended up landing on the same night. I naively hoped that when the conflict became known, things would get rescheduled, but Major League Baseball wouldn't budge. It turns out to have been a blessing in disguise, as I was spared having to watch the Rangers lose to the Cardinals (I'm a poor sport when my team is losing.) And, the LWV's program taught me a thing or two about city charters.

After the jump, what I learned from the speakers, former Richardson mayor Ray Noah and Robert Lowry, professor of political science at UT-Dallas.

Dealing with "Fat Tail" Risks

In Tuesday's GOP debate in Las Vegas, Michele Bachmann said some crazy things that, if this were an episode of Survivor, would have gotten her voted off the island. Or did she?

After the jump, just how crazy is Michele Bachmann, really?

Is the City's Charter Right for Richardson?

The League of Women Voters of Richardson is sponsoring an educational program Wednesday night on this question. My thoughts on the topic can be found here:

• Does Richardson Need An Independent Auditor?
  
• Does Richardson Need Term Limits?
  
• Are Richardson's Voting Districts in Need of Change?
  
• Direct Election of Richardson's Mayor
  
• The Californiacation of Richardson
  

First Impressions of GOP Debate in Las Vegas

Seven GOP candidates went toe-to-toe in one of the most spirited debates yet. My quick scorecard:

• Romney took some heat on Romneycare, on illegal immigration, and on job creation, but had detailed, bulleted answers ready. He held his own. Because he's leading the polls, that's a win for him.
  
• Cain took the most heat for his "bold" 9-9-9 plan. Everyone attacked it. He suffered some wounds but didn't go down. Because he's already in the top tier, that's a limited success for him.
  
• Perry was his most energetic yet. Because expectations were so low, he helped himself, but his attacks on Romney were skillfully repelled. Because no one else imploded, there might not be much rebound in the polls for Perry.
  
• Santorum was a me-too candidate, trying to distinguish himself by adding something about family in every answer. No one seems to care.
  
• Bachmann was a me-too candidate, trying to distinguish herself by emphasizing her position as the farthest out on the right-wing. That's not likely to be the selling point she thinks.
  
• Gingrich played the wise old Republican, standing up for Reagan and warning against bickering. Too many other candidates have to implode for Gingrich to get a second look.
  
• Paul was his usual consistent self. He'd cut federal departments wholesale; he scolded his fellow candidates for not saying they'd cut defense spending; he said we ought to replace the income tax with "nothing;" he refused to pick between Wall Street and the White House for whom to blame for the financial crisis - he said blame them both and the Fed, too. His followers love him, but he's probably still considered the crazy old uncle in the attic by too many Republicans to have a chance at the nomination.
  

After the jump, random impressions.

A TreeKIT Grows in Brooklyn

Richardson's "Tree the Town" program has been pretty quiet so far this fall. In fact, it's been pretty quiet ever since its initial burst of tree-plantings last fall. You have to go back to last October to find anything on its official event calendar.

So, after the jump, a recap of other cities' efforts, including a new one (new to me, anyway) in New York City.