City Charters: Can Richardson Learn From Dallas?

Everyone in Richardson seems to be in favor of some kind of charter review. What's not so clear is whether anyone agrees on what changes, if any, are needed.

Richardson is not alone in this introspection. Jim Schutze, in Unfair Park, offers his opinion to Dallasites who think that all the problems of Dallas could be solved if only they got rid of the city manager. Schutze thinks the problems go deeper than any single person.

After the jump, what Richardson can learn from Dallas.

OTBR: An Altar to the Goddess Blesta

Latitude 58.434500° N
Longitude 23.104200° E


A child on a road trip with his family asks, "Where are we?" and the father answers, "Let's check the map. We're off the blue roads [the Interstate Highways marked in blue on the road atlas]. We're off the red roads [the US and state highways]. We're off the black roads [the county highways]. I think we're off the map altogether." It was always my dream to be off the map altogether.

After the jump, a few of the random places (and I mean random literally) that I visited vicariously last month that are "off the blue roads".

Showdown: Lake Highlands 21, Richardson 14

From 2011 Football

It was just a regular season game, but it had playoff implications. Win and you go on. Lose and your season is over. The Lake Highlands Wildcats squared off with the Richardson Eagles on Friday night in a big RISD matchup. In a close game that was still tied in the fourth quarter, the Wildcats emerged victorious, 21-14. Next week, the Wildcats (5-5) will play Rowlett (6-4) at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Garland's Homer B. Johnson Stadium in the first round of the playoffs.

In other RISD playoff action, Berkner (7-3) will play Garland (8-2) at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Garland's Williams Stadium.

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.

No Good Deed Goes Unpunished - Parks Edition

Apparently, Richardson residents are soon to know the location of their new park in the Richardson Heights and Cottonwood Heights area. I say apparently because, as far as I know, the city has not yet officially announced a property purchase. But the blogosphere is abuzz. If you believe what you read, a homeowner who sold out to the city, a neighborhood association president who has worked tirelessly for this park, even a city council member, have all said it's a done deal. The properties are purchased. The mini-park is on its way.

Good news, right? You don't know local politics. After the jump, a look at how this good deed is being received.

One World Government By ... The Vatican?

A week or so ago, a think tank within the Vatican published a paper calling for one-world government. Rod Dreher summarizes the argument:

The power of global financial entities has outstripped the power of nation-states to subordinate their activity to the common good, even as the commons cannot be protected from the irresponsibility of these entities. The solution proposed by the Pontifical Council is a form of global political and economic common governance in which nation-states relinquish sovereignty to a significant degree in exchange for gaining a measure of accountability and control over global capital.

Source: Rod Dreher.

The thought of one-world government freaked out (his words) my favorite crunchy conservative.

After the jump, more from Dreher (and Jeffrey Weiss and ... me).

Seven Billion and Counting

Sometime in the past few weeks or coming up soon, the planet is expected to welcome its 7 billionth human being. After the jump, two different takes on the milestone.

Un-Tree the Town

You are undoubtedly aware that beginning today, November 1, Richardson has imposed Stage 3 water restrictions, meaning watering lawns is allowed only twice a month on even or odd Saturdays, depending on house address. Richardson has done a good job of getting the word out on this water conservation measure.

What you might not be aware of is a related change to a program that started up with such fanfare just a year ago. After the jump, what's up with all those stressed trees in our roadway medians?

You Need Water to Have a Tea Party

Last week, I offered my opinion on how to vote on the proposed amendments to the Texas constitution. Or, more accurately, I sent you off to read others' recommendations. Opinions on these propositions are proving true the old saw about politics making strange bedfellows.

After the jump, an example.

Clincher: Sunset 8, Berkner 27

From 2011 Football

On the night that the Texas Rangers lost the seventh game of the World Series, the Berkner Rams gave their loyal fans who came out to Wildcat-Ram Stadium plenty to celebrate instead. The Rams beat the Sunset Bisons 27-8 to clinch a playoff spot in District 9-5A. Playoffs, here we come!

Here's the full District 9-5A playoff situation, according to The Dallas Morning News. "Clinched: Skyline, Jesuit, Richardson Berkner; Eliminated: Samuell, Sunset, W.T. White. The winner of Richardson vs. Lake Highlands on Friday clinches a playoff berth."

It was also Junior High Band Night, meaning the largest number of young musicians on the field at any one time any time this year. What a show!

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.

Go Rangers! Just Go.

Twice, the Rangers were one strike away from a World Series Championship. Once in the 9th, again in the 10th. Two blown saves. A combined five fielding and throwing errors by both teams. More mental errors than space allows to document, even in virtually infinite cyberspace. A football-like 10-9 score. 28 hits. An umpire who contributed to the pin-ball scoring by refusing to give either pitcher, any pitcher, the corner of the plate.

After the jump, the full indictment of a crime against sport.