Monday, September 30, 2013

Breaking Bad

Walter White
Source: Breaking Bad.
No spoilers here. :-)

This blog post is not for Breaking Bad fans. It's for those who missed out. Maybe because a story about dying of cancer and cooking meth and dealing with drug gangs sounds like nothing you'd ever like. Or maybe because you didn't hear of this television series until season 2 or 3 and felt it's too hard to catch up. Maybe you didn't hear of it until a week ago when it won the Emmy for best drama, only a week before the series finale aired.

After the jump, it's never too late.

Who Is The Council Dealing With Now?

The Richardson City Council has a full plate on its September 30 meeting agenda, most of which will be conducted out of sight of the public.

In compliance with Section 551.087(1) and (2) of the Texas Government Code, Council will convene into a closed session to discuss the following:
  • Deliberation Regarding Economic Development Negotiations
    • Commercial Development -- President George Bush Turnpike/Plano Rd., U.S. 75/Campbell Rd., and Collins Blvd./International Pkwy. Areas
After the jump, let's speculate on what's going on.

Saturday, September 28, 2013

Rivalry Week: Lake Highlands 55, Berkner 21

From 2013 09 27 Lake Highlands vs Berkner

Each year, the two high schools that share the football stadium at Lake Highlands High School face off against each other in a rivalry game. In this year's game, Friday night, the Lake Highlands Wildcats prevailed over the Berkner Rams, 55-21. Berkner kept it close for a while, leading 14-13 early in the second quarter, but it was all Lake Highlands after that.

More photos after the jump.

Friday, September 27, 2013

S2L77: Tehran

From 1977 03 29 Iran

The symbol of Tehran is the Azadi Tower (Freedom Tower). Originally built by the Shah of Iran to honor the 2,500 years of Persian history, but mostly to honor his own place in that history, and called the King's Memorial Tower, the tower was renamed after the 1979 revolution.

Tehran itself, like Delhi, is appreciated differently depending on your approach. Fly in from Europe, and Tehran is likely to strike you as exotic and foreign. But arrive after traveling overland from Afghanistan and Tehran is the height of familiarity and modernity. At least that's what it felt like in 1977.

After the jump, my impressions of Tehran.

Thursday, September 26, 2013

Why I Blog

Why do I blog? It's not for the money. Lord, no. It's not because I like to hear myself talk. Although I confess that I'm probably guilty of that. It's not because I think my writing is any good. I freely admit to living up to Theodore Sturgeon's adage that "90% of everything is crap." It's not to persuade people that I have the answers. I'm not dumb enough to believe people are in the habit of having their minds changed because of something they read on the Internet.

After the jump, so what is it?

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Say Hello to a Call Center

I opened my (figurative) newspaper and was struck by a surprise: "Fobare starts Richardson's first spec building in a decade." The building is at 1225 Alma Rd, between Arapaho Rd and Collins Blvd. The surprise is the use the developer envisions for it. Not another data center, like what has rejuvenated much of the old Collins Radio site. Data centers are stuffed with computers, not employees. The developer says the new office building will be ideal for a call center. A call center is stuffed with people.
The building has eight parking spaces per 1,000 square feet, which is a rarity in office real estate, and makes it an ideal location for a call center or other office user with a need for a high parking ratio.
After the jump, what should I think of this?

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Spring Creek Equinox

From 2013 09 22 Spring Creek Nature Area

The autumnal equinox this year occurred at 3:44 CDT on Sunday, September 22. In Richardson, it was a glorious, warm (not hot), sunny day. These photos were taken in the Spring Creek Nature Area on this first day of autumn.

More photos and a little bittersweet musing after the jump.