RISD Election: Put the Popcorn Away

The deadline to file to run as as candidate for the school board of the Richardson ISD (RISD) was March 1. It turns out that wasn't the only deadline of consequence. Another was March 4, the deadline to withdraw. One candidate who had filed to run withdrew in that three day period. Why didn't he withdraw before the March 1 filing deadline? The more you know about the candidate, the less surprised you ought to be.

After the jump, the disappearing candidate.

Repeat Tweets: Talking Back

Repeat tweets from February, 2013:

• Feb 1 2013: 38 references to Afghanistan vs 178 to Israel in Senate hearing on Hagel. Amazing lack of interest in war by @SenTedCruz and GOP senators.
  
• Feb 1 2013: Headline: "Stocks hit 5-yr highs on upbeat jobs report." Meanwhile, @SenTedCruz introduces bill to repeal Obamacare.
  
• Feb 1 2013: Read and retweet my warning not to believe anything @SenTedCruz quotes, without checking the context for yourself.
  
• Feb 1 2013: RT @BetseyStevenson: "Over the past 3 months the private sector added 624K jobs, while the govt lost 24K jobs." So much for bloated govt.
  
• Feb 1 2013: RT @ryanavent: "Employment now up 5.5m from low in Feb 2010. That's plus 6.1m private jobs, minus 600k govt jobs." So much for bloated govt.
  
• Feb 1 2013: "Reduced govt spending [is] a drag on recovery. The public sector lost 9,000 jobs last month." So much for govt bloat. tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com
  
• Feb 2 2013: High school men's basketball. Final: Berkner 53, Pearce 48. It's a great time to be a Ram! #txhsbb
  
• Feb 2 2013: Little Shop of Horrors at RHS: Intimate setting works well. The macabre has never been this much fun. Feed me! www.marksteger.com
  
• Feb 3 2013: Headline: "Watch the Throne: No. 1 ranking awaits Indiana" after #3 Hoosiers beat #1 Michigan. sports.yahoo.com
  
• Feb 3 2013: Bye Bye Birdie at BHS: A+ all around -- orchestra, lead singers, chorus, choreography, comic acting (Shriners hilarious). Best sound ever.
  
• Feb 3 2013: Caltech's baseball team beat Pacifica 9-7 Saturday. The win ended a 228-game, 10-year losing streak. Go Beavers! www.usatoday.com
  

After the jump, more repeat tweets.

Playoffs: Berkner 66, Austin Anderson 52

State Bound!

Final Four! The Berkner Rams men's basketball team traveled to Waco this weekend and returned with the Region II championship trophy. They'll travel to Austin March 8-9 to play in the Final Four!

Berkner won a thriller Friday night over Spring Westfield 64-58 in overtime. On Saturday the Rams beat Austin Anderson 66-52.

Next stop: the Frank Erwin Center on the University of Texas campus in Austin for the UIL State Championship. 128 teams started this tournament. Only four remain. Two semi-final games will be played Friday and the championship game between the winners will be played Saturday night. It's a great time to be a Ram!

More photos after the jump.

Richardson Idol Canceled

The upcoming season of Richardson Idol has been canceled due to a shortage of contestants. As of the 5:00 pm, March 1, deadline for filing to run in the City of Richardson's May 11 City Council elections, only one race was contested, the newly created elected mayor's position.

After the jump, the winners by default for the other six races and, most important, what will replace Richardson Idol in this spring's TV lineup.

S2L77: Varanasi and the Ganges

Varanasi, India
March 2-3, 1977

A long drive arriving in Benares [Varanasi] at night, traveling through many villages lacking any electricity. Up at dawn for a tour of the Ganges River.

Source: Personal travel notes.

From 1977 03 02 India

"The city of temples", "the holy city of India", "the city of lights", and "the oldest living city on earth." That's Varanasi (formerly, Benares). The river running through it is the Ganges, India's longest river and Hindus' most sacred river. A boat ride on the river at sunrise reveals Hindus bathing in its waters, performing ritualistic purifications, and cremating their dead on funeral pyres on the river's banks.

More photos after the jump.