What I Learned About Richardson In Wikipedia

Things I learned about Richardson, Texas, from reading Wikipedia:

• In 2004, Richardson was the first North Texas city recognized as a best workplace for commuters.
• In 2007, Richardson ranked as the 5th safest city in Texas and the 69th safest city in America.
• In 2008, Richardson ranked as the 4th best place to live in Texas and the 18th best place to live in the United States.
• In 2009, Richardson ranked as the 2nd best city in Texas to raise kids.
• In 2010, Richardson ranked 1st among Texas cities in the truthfulness of its Wikipedia page.

OK, I admit that one of those facts does not (yet) appear on Richardson's Wikipedia page. After the jump, other things that do.

No Trash Talking On City Council

Yesterday, I blogged about the Richardson City Council's decision to approve a special permit to build an independent-living senior apartment complex in northwest Richardson, despite opposition from some neighbors. I complimented the city council on how the issue was handled. There is another LULU issue in Richardson that so far has not been a shining example of representative democracy in action.

After the jump, trash talking in Richardson.

Seniors Still Welcome In Richardson

Evergreen Senior Living Community

Monday night, Richardson's city council meeting offered a rare example of controversy on the council. Richardson residents expressed opposition to a proposed independent-living senior apartment complex on the corner of Renner and North Star in Richardson's panhandle. Proponents argued that the property is unmarketable for retail. The opponents don't want more apartments, even if the residents will be nice, law-abiding seniors who will be tending their community gardens and enjoying their knitting and crochet socials. The part of the meeting devoted to public comments took 41 minutes to accommodate all who wanted to speak to the issue. The council itself was split. Maybe this wasn't exactly fireworks in the council chambers, but it's what passes for fireworks in "R Town".

After the jump, the outcome.

FBCR: First Bank of City of Richardson

How can we boost church membership? I know, let's update our look and feel. A new logo maybe. Less stuffy. More modern. No crosses, unless it's so subtle it's almost subliminal. Something more like an Internet company. Or a bank. Something like one of these...

Yeah, something like that will work. Do it! Praise the Lord! FDIC insured.

Working On Steve's Twitter

Twitter is hit or miss. Mostly miss. Many of the tweets of the people I follow are either (pick one) funny, insightful, informative, but many deservedly scroll off the bottom of my tweet roll none too soon. I'm frequently pruning my follow list in an attempt to increase the ratio of hits to misses. And I'm often on the lookout for promising new people to follow. Twitter offers friendly suggestions. One of the names that showed up on my own suggestion list was "abraxas27".

Clicking through I quickly judged abraxas27 a "miss." It looks like he set up his Twitter account in April, 2009. He went to the trouble to upload a graphic of the starship Enterprise to use as wallpaper. He posted seven tweets in two days, and then ... nothing more. Before I clicked away, something about abraxas27 caught my attention - his profile. I know I'm reading a lot between the lines here, but I couldn't help thinking, this explains a lot about the City of Richardson's website. But I'll let readers come to their own conclusions.

• Name: Ed Snavely
  Location: McKinney, Tx
  Web: http://www.cor.net
  Bio: Web Manager for the City of Richardson

• Steve I have sent you the image. 3:49 PM Apr 23rd, 2009 via web
• Come see my screen.....! 3:44 PM Apr 23rd, 2009 via web
• Steve are you working? 3:44 PM Apr 23rd, 2009 via web
• Steve, It looks like twitter has fixed the image issues they had yesterday. We can set yours up later today. 12:37 PM Apr 23rd, 2009 via web
• Working on Steve's twitter. 2:37 PM Apr 22nd, 2009 via web
• I am currently working on a powerpoint. 8:30 AM Apr 22nd, 2009 via web
• Good Morning I am testing my new twitter account. 8:28 AM Apr 22nd, 2009 via web

OTBR: The Classic Red Barn In Iowa

Latitude: 40.403300° N
Longitude: 94.832800° W

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".

Twitter Tracks: LeBron, World Cup, Richardson Symphony

Twitter tracks from July, 2010:

• 2010 07 08 - I can't be the only one who watched more of the LeBron James special than watched of any NBA regular season game this season.
• 2010 07 09 - When you woke up this morning, did the world seem completely different? Yes? That's how important yesterday's LeBron James announcement was.
• 2010 07 09 - Crazy Heart: washed-up country singer whose career is on the skids, then things go downhill. I'd buy that album. The Wrestler with guitars.
• 2010 07 11 - When Ellen walked in late and asked what she missed, I said, "nothing." The World Cup announcer was more blunt - it was a "pig of a game."
• 2010 07 11 - The Richardson Symphony Orchestra is "in a toxic mess." You can't support music without supporting the musicians. http://goo.gl/JcCf
• 2010 07 11 - What's the difference between an RSO musician and a pizza? A pizza can feed a family of four (H/T to Wanderer) http://goo.gl/JcCf
• 2010 07 12 - Run, Newt, Run! Seeing Newt and Sarah on stage during a GOP primary debate would make for great political theater. I'm popping corn already.
• 2010 07 12 - Richardson only the 30th best suburb in Dallas?!? Hey, there's always Garland (45th). http://goo.gl/rArX
• 2010 07 13 - Selling Bonds Without Voter Approval: When state law trumps city charter. http://goo.gl/qlrM
• 2010 07 14 - Patrick "Car-Free" Kennedy Talks to Texas Observer About His Idealized Dallas (http://goo.gl/9Idr) - Spoiler alert: it's car-free.

After the jump, more Twitter tracks.