POTD: Idle Oil Rigs

From 2017 01 29 Caribbean Cruise

Today's photo-of-the-day is from the Galveston Channel in Texas, where oil drilling rigs stand idle due to the prolonged slump in oil and gas prices.

Every Number Tells a Story

It's almost back-to-school time. So let's look at the Richardson ISD by the numbers. Specifically, the numbers from SchoolDigger.com: "K-12 school performance data at your fingertips." RISD's overall numbers can tell any story you want.

"Steady as she goes": RISD consistently ranks in the top half of all school districts in Texas.

"Sound the alarm": RISD dropped from the 86th percentile in 2010 to the 56th percentile in 2015.

"Back on Course": RISD climbed from 56th percentile in 2015 to 72nd percentile in 2017.

So have at it. What's your story?

POTD: Ready to Cast Off

From 2017 01 29 Caribbean Cruise

Today's photo-of-the-day is of the cruise ship terminal in Galveston, Texas.

Dunkirk (2017)

IMDB

Dunkirk (2017): Lots of action. Nameless, interchangeable characters. Little dialog or historical context. But powerful climactic scene. B+

OTBR: A Deer Farm in Australia

Latitude: S 37° 20.592
Longitude: E 144° 22.386

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 last month I visited vicariously (not actually) that are "off the blue roads".

POTD: A Streetcar Named Riverfront

From 2016 12 15 Louisiana

Today's photo-of-the-day is from the riverfront in the French Quarter of New Orleans. Riverfront is not as poetic as Desire, but the Streetcar named Desire was converted to a bus line in 1948. Sigh.

The Girl on the Train (2016)

IMDB

The Girl on the Train (2016): Psychological mystery borrows heavily from Rear Window and Gaslight. Well-crafted if maybe too predictable. B-

Repeat Tweets: Watch the Uninsured Rate Drop

Repeat tweets from July, 2017:

• Jul 4 2017: RT @sparksjls: "Watch the uninsured rate drop across the country as the ACA went into effect." @sparksjls
Watch Texas stand out as a laggard in this animation.
• Jul 6 2017: RT @bonojl: "Poll: Most voters blame state for school money woes." mystatesman.com
I'll believe it when I see it at the polls in 2018.
• Jul 6 2017: RT @EricCeleste: "Well, now. This is super interesting." @EricCeleste
Good for DMN. Better late than never. A win for Jim Schutze.
• Jul 6 2017: RT @BraddJaffy: "In a span of 13 minutes, on foreign soil, Trump trashed the American free press, the U.S. intel community, and Obama."
  Trump's own apology tour??? But who is he apologizing to? Russia?
• Jul 6 2017: RT @GregAbbott_TX: "Join me in a statewide call to stand with law enforcement on July 7. Let's band together to #BackTheBlue."
  You didn't stand with Texas police chiefs who opposed SB4.

After the jump, more repeat tweets.

POTD: How Can Something So Sweet...

From 2016 12 15 Louisiana

How can something so sweet come from some place so gritty? Today's photo-of-the-day is from Domino Sugar's Chalmette Refinery on the Mississippi River below New Orleans.

The Chalmette refinery typically produces about 2 billion pounds annually, or about 7 million a day. That generally accounts for about 19 percent of the country's cane sugar.

Source: The Times-Picayune.

Bonus photo after the jump.

Chasing Coral (2017)

IMDB

Chasing Coral (2017): Documentary of massive die-off of coral worldwide due to global warming. Not 2100. Today. When will world wake up? A-

A Conversation About Health Care

In response to the GOP effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA), I was sucked into a Facebook conversation (I know, I know better). Spoiler alert: I was against repeal. For the possible amusement of my future self, I reproduce the conversation here (well at least my part, which is only slightly edited). The "points" in favor of repeal are greatly condensed (hey, it's my blog; if you want your say, that's what the comments are for). The "counterpoints" are my own wordy answers. The whole thing was kicked off by a third person's comment that taking health insurance away from millions of people is not the Christian thing to do.

---

Point: As a method to "help" people, Obamacare further entrenches health care within the swamp that is "political ideology."

Counterpoint: As a method to "help" people, I propose making health care affordable and accessible to all, whether that involves charity (which is individuals acting for the good of others) or government (which is us, acting collectively for the general good). In contrast, supporting removing health care from millions is elevating political ideology above the teachings of Jesus.

POTD: Any Port in a Storm

From 2016 12 15 Louisiana

Today's photo-of-the-day is from the Mississippi River below New Orleans.

Okja (2017)

IMDB

Okja (2017): Korean girl & her giant pig. Evil meat industry. Bumbling animal rights activists. Heavy-handed. Who was intended audience? C-

POTD: Beignet, Anyone?

From 2016 12 15 Louisiana

Today's photo-of-the-day is from the French Quarter in New Orleans.

Bonus photo after the jump.

POTD: The Neon Lights of Bourbon Street

From 2016 12 15 Louisiana

Today's photo-of-the-day is from the French Quarter in New Orleans.

Neon Lights
Shimmering neon lights
And at the fall of night
This city's made of light.

I dream of you
With me tonight
We're all alone
Under neon lights.

Source: Ralf Huetter, Florian Schneider-Esleben, Karl Bartos.

Bonus photos are after the jump.

Get Out (2017)

IMDB

Get Out (2017): Psychological thriller. Guess Who's Coming to Dinner in The Twilight Zone. Big reveal is silly. Best PR for TSA ever. B+

A Clarification, Apology and Grace

A morality play in five acts...

• Preface: Lynn Davenport challenged an incumbent for a seat on the Richardson ISD school board. She lost.
Curtain rises...

POTD: Reverend Zombie's House of Voodoo

From 2016 12 15 Louisiana

Today's photo-of-the-day is from the French Quarter in New Orleans. No, that isn't the Reverend Zombie in the doorway. And, no, there's no truth to the story that this is the facility where Ellen's bone marrow transplant was performed. #FakeNews

Engraftment

From 2017 06 30 UT Southwestern

Pop quiz: Which of the following describes the photo above?

1. Dallas 4th of July fireworks as seen from Ellen's hospital room
2. X-ray of Ellen's intestinal system after chemotherapy
3. Joy in my heart when Ellen's bone marrow transplant engrafted
4. All of the above

The correct answer is "All of the above" but the Fourth of July is long gone and the nausea is mostly gone, so "engraftment" is the answer that prompts this celebratory post. Engraftment is when, after a bone marrow transplant, new blood-forming cells start to grow and make healthy blood cells that show up in your blood. It is an important milestone in your transplant recovery. Ellen has reached that milestone. After chemotherapy and full body radiation, Ellen's white blood cell count had dropped to zero, as intended. Within three days of engraftment of transplanted stem cells, her white blood cell count rebounded to "normal" range, a level Ellen hasn't seen in two years. She was discharged from the hospital to continue her recovery at home. I'd say that's reason enough for fireworks. Celebrate.

More photos after the jump.

POTD: Let the Good Times Roll

From 2016 12 15 Louisiana

Today's photo-of-the-day is from a wedding celebration in the French Quarter of New Orleans.

A bonus photo is after the jump.

The BFG (2016)

IMDB

The BFG (2016): Orphan girl helps BFG end bullying in Giant Country. Sweet, even with CGI fart jokes. Good for kids and sick adults. C+