Voting Is Just So Messy

The City of Richardson has a policy regarding electioneering at the Civic Center during early voting: "During early voting, political signs may not be erected on public property." The State of Texas has other ideas.

On June 14, 2013, the Texas Legislature passed HB 259, thereby amending Section 61.003 and 85.036 of the Texas Election Code by requiring a public entity that controls or owns a building used as a polling place to allow electioneering on the premises, subject to reasonable regulations.

Source: City of Richardson.

So, let's amend Richardson's policy to allow electioneering at the Civic Center, so long as it occurs outside the 100 foot boundary state law specifies. Easy peasy. Next issue.

Not so fast, says Richardson's City Council. After the jump, their thoughts.

S2L77: Izmir, Troy, Canakkale, Gallipoli

Izmir
April 17, 1977
Quick tour of Izmir, walking through the bazaar and the Roman agora, which was closed for restoration.

Source: Personal travel notes.

From 1977 04 08 Turkey

Izmir, Turkey

We stopped for lunch in Izmir, just enough time to find a restaurant and do a little sightseeing. And by sightseeing in this region of the world, I mean track down the ancient Greeks and Romans. Izmir being at least 3,500 years old, the Roman ruins mark but a stage in its long history, but when you only have a couple of hours, it's a good stage to hunt down.

In Troy, you go back even before the Romans to the Homeric legends of the Iliad and the Odyssey. Today, the site is an active archaeological dig. In 1977, about the only thing for the casual sightseer was a large wooden horse, so that's what I took a photo of.

Canakkale is the modern city nearest the ancient site of Troy. It's also where we said goodbye to Asia. It was there that we crossed the Dardanelles Strait, which separates Asia from Europe, on a ferry.

On the European side of the Dardanelles is the Gallipoli peninsula, the site of a major military campaign in World War I. The British and French sought to secure a sea route to Russia through the Dardanelles. Gallipoli was where the Australia and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) saw their first action in the war, with great loss of life. Today, ANZAC Day (April 25) is the day of remembrance for all Australians and New Zealanders who fought and died in all wars. It marks the dawn of national consciousness for those nations.

More photos after the jump.

Cash America's Wallet is a Little Lighter

In response to enforcement action by the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), payday lender Cash America will repay $14 million to customers and will pay a $5 million fine because "it improperly pursued some customers' debt and overcharged military service members." Apparently, Cash America charged service members annual interest rates over 36% on loans. Compare that to the interest rate banks pay you when you loan them money by making a deposit to your savings account.

After the jump, what does this have to do with Richardson?

The Archives: JFK, the Book Thief

One of the benefits of blogging is that you have a ready-made archive to jog your memory. Today's entry simply references two such memories.

• November 22, 2013 marks the 50th anniversary of the assassination of JFK. It's one of those moments people remember where they were, what they were doing, no blog required. I was in sixth grade when the public address speakers in school came on. At first it sounded like someone in the school office had unintentionally flipped a switch, as there was no announcement, only what sounded like a garbled radio broadcast. Students laughed at what we thought was someone's mistake. Gradually, the laughter died away and was replaced by horror and sadness as the news registered. That guilty laughter is what has stuck with me for fifty years.
  
  Anyway, fifty years later, I live in Dallas. Here's what I blogged last year when Dallas began making plans for the anniversary.
  
  
• To continue on a sad theme, The Book Thief is in limited release (Cinemark West in Plano, Thursday, 10:00 pm). The movie is based on the book by the same name, which was the selection for this year's "Richardson Reads One Book" program. It's a view of life in Nazi Germany from a child's eye. I haven't seen the movie, but you can read my review of the book from last spring.

Samsara (2011)

IMDB

Samsara (2011): Stunning images from world over. Slow motion, time lapse. Some jaw dropping, some weird. No narration. B- (Watch high, A-)

Learning From Lookadoo

In case you were on Mars last week, here's a recap. The PTA at Richardson High School sponsored a motivational speaker, Justin Lookadoo, for a school assembly. Lookadoo's public speaking focuses on what his critics consider antiquated gender stereotypes. The RHS event blew up on social media, was picked up by Dallas newspapers and television, and eventually received international coverage.

After the jump, what we learned.

Playoffs: Allen 63, Lake Highlands 6

From 2013 11 15 Allen vs Lake Highlands

The Lake Highlands Wildcats faced off against the undefeated Allen Eagles in the first round of the 2013 Texas UIL football playoffs Friday night at Wildcat-Ram Stadium. Allen more than lived up to their #1 state ranking in beating the Wildcats 63-6. The Wildcats end their playoff season with a district record of 5-2 (overall 5-6). Thanks for the good season, Wildcats.

More photos after the jump.