POTD: Fill 'er up with Johnnie Walker Black

From 2015 03 18 Siem Reap

Fill 'er up with Johnnie Walker Black. Or Red. Or Gordon's Gin. Or any old liquor bottle. Today's photo-of-the-day is from Siem Reap, Cambodia, where roadside stands make use of old liquor bottles to conveniently sell a liter of gasoline to the drivers of motorbikes and tuk tuks that dominate the traffic in Siem Reap.

Peering into the Dallas Looking Glass

Dallas city government is dysfunctional. It's not even a provocative thing to say anymore, is it? Everyone knows it's true. It's almost self evident, right?

In case you don't know that (perhaps you don't live within shouting distance of Dallas), you might want to check out this story in The Dallas Morning News by Elizabeth Findell. City council members shout at each other. City Council members shout at city staff. There's a whole lotta shoutin' going on.

But if you knew that already, you can just jump ahead to this story in FrontBurner by Peter Simek. He reads between the lines of Findell's story to understand the structural reasons behind all that shouting.

Peer into the Dallas looking glass and you might have a hard time seeing Richardson. Well, maybe if I cock my head just so, I think I see Richardson's future.

How Texas is Whitewashing History

The white supremacists might be on the defensive in South Carolina, where there are calls to haul down the Confederate flag from the state capitol, but in Texas the whitewashing of history is standing strong. If you have a child in Texas public schools, he or she is probably being taught shameful lies about American history.

How Much is Upzoning Worth?

"Upzoning" -- changing zoning laws to allow taller buildings and greater population density -- creates a windfall gain for landowners in high-value areas when the regulatory barrier is removed, and cities can capture some of that (by selling development rights at or near market prices) to defray the costs of the transit infrastructure that makes the higher-density development feasible.

Source: U.S. News.

How much is upzoning worth? A lot. Different stories about different places reveal just how much. Some cities are quicker to recognize that value and take advantage of it for the benefit of the city as a whole, not just the owner of the property that's upzoned. Some cities are a little slower on the uptake. And then we get to Richardson.

The Glorious Fourth

From 2015 07 04 Breckinridge Park

It was our first trip back to Breckinridge Park since 2012 for Richardson's "Family 4th Celebration" and it was even bigger and better than the last time. The fireworks were preceded by a patriotic concert by the always entertaining Richardson Community Band. We sat right down by the lake for the closest and best view of the fireworks, including the reflections in the water.

From 2015 07 04 Breckinridge Park

More after the jump.