Rotten Tomatoes |
Tuesday, February 27, 2018
Last Men in Aleppo (2017)
Monday, February 26, 2018
Icarus (2017)
Rotten Tomatoes |
Friday, February 23, 2018
POTD: Miami Sunset
From 2018 01 19 Norwegian Star |
Today's photo-of-the-day is from the deck of the Norwegian Star as it sails from Miami headed for Los Angeles on a cruise through the Panama Canal. The sun didn't quite cooperate as hoped. As they say, a First World problem — we are very grateful that we can take this vacation at all.
Thursday, February 22, 2018
Mindhunter (TV)
Rotten Tomatoes |
Wednesday, February 21, 2018
YIMBYism can be a Problem, Too
I'm in favor of spreading subsidized housing throughout our communities. Yes, that means building subsidized housing in our rich neighborhoods (read, white), not just in our poor neighborhoods (read, black and brown). I used to think that opposition to that proposal came from the rich neighborhoods. That's not false, but that's not the whole story, either.
Tuesday, February 20, 2018
POTD: Miami Skyline
From 2018 01 19 Norwegian Star |
Monday, February 19, 2018
POTD: Here's to Health
From 2018 01 19 Norwegian Star |
Today's photo-of-the-day is from the deck of the Norwegian Star as it sails the western Caribbean Sea on a cruise celebrating good health! Don't ever take it for granted.
Friday, February 16, 2018
Mapping RISD's Racial Diversity
Former Richardson ISD school board trustee David Tyson, Jr., has sued the RISD, alleging its at-large election system is a violation of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. He wants RISD to change to single-member-districts, in an effort to elect more minorities to the school board. The success or failure of this approach depends largely on the distribution of minorities in RISD as a whole.
Thursday, February 15, 2018
Be Careful What You Wish For
Former Richardson ISD school board trustee David Tyson, Jr., has sued the RISD, alleging its at-large election system is a violation of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. He wants RISD to change to single-member-districts, with at least one district being majority African-American, centered in Hamilton Park, a historically African-American neighborhood in RISD.
That led Carol Toler, in the Lake Highlands Advocate, to write about how the desegregation order in 1970 resulted in closure of the segregated school in Hamilton Park and the assignment of black students there to three different RISD high schools. That created diversity in those schools. RISD still benefits from that diversity today.
That led Carol Toler, in the Lake Highlands Advocate, to write about how the desegregation order in 1970 resulted in closure of the segregated school in Hamilton Park and the assignment of black students there to three different RISD high schools. That created diversity in those schools. RISD still benefits from that diversity today.
Wednesday, February 14, 2018
RISD's Reaction to Tyson's Lawsuit
Former Richardson ISD school board trustee David Tyson, Jr., has sued the RISD, alleging its at-large election system is a violation of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. This was the RISD's official response.
I have my own reaction to that. Two, actually..."The Board understands that our stakeholders have interest in this case," said Justin Bono, President of the RISD Board of Trustees. "It is a complex matter, and the Board will work diligently to fully understand the details of the case and ultimately make decisions on the best course of action for the District. As this is a pending court case, we hope the community understands that our responses and remarks have to be within the context of the appropriate legal settings moving forward."Source: RISD.
Tuesday, February 13, 2018
David Tyson's Complaint
Former Richardson ISD school board trustee David Tyson, Jr., has sued the RISD, alleging its at-large election system is a violation of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Thanks to the reader who forwarded to me David Tyson, Jr.'s legal complaint against the Richardson ISD, I now have a better understanding of Tyson's case. It also affects my thinking about whether single member districts or cumulative voting is a better and/or more likely change to address Tyson's complaint.
Monday, February 12, 2018
Cumulative Voting Coming to RISD
Former Richardson ISD school board trustee David Tyson, Jr., has sued the RISD, alleging its at-large election system is a violation of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. There are two ways this lawsuit could play out. One, the RISD could engage in a long and expensive fight in court and win, leaving the status quo in place. Or two, the RISD could lose the lawsuit and have to adopt a court-imposed solution. (There's a third outcome, a negotiated out-of-court agreement, but that is more or less equivalent to outcome two, losing the lawsuit.) There's no betting line on this, but if there were, I suspect outcome two would be the betting favorite.
Friday, February 9, 2018
Lady Macbeth (2017)
Rotten Tomatoes |
Thursday, February 8, 2018
Call Me by Your Name (2017)
Rotten Tomatoes |
Wednesday, February 7, 2018
Review: Sing, Unburied, Sing
Amazon |
They perch like birds, but look as people. They speak with their eyes: He raped me and suffocated me until I died I put my hands up and he shot me eight times she locked me in the shed and starved me to death while I listened to my babies playing with her in the yard they came in my cell in the middle of the night and they hung me they found I could read and they dragged me out to the barn and gouged my eyes before they beat me still I was sick and he said I was an abomination and Jesus say suffer little children so let her go and he put me under the water and I couldn’t breathe."
Jesmyn Ward is the winner of two National Book Awards for Fiction: Salvage the Bones (2011, also reviewed here) and Sing, Unburied, Sing (2017). This latest novel is a heart-wrenching story that starts in a bad place, takes us steadily to darker places, and then ends in a kind a truce with death.
Tuesday, February 6, 2018
Phantom Thread (2017)
Rotten Tomatoes |
Monday, February 5, 2018
Single Member Districts Coming to RISD
Former Richardson ISD school board trustee David Tyson, Jr., wants to change the RISD's at-large election system. He wants it enough that he has sued the RISD, alleging its at-large election system is a violation of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. One possible solution (not the only one) is for RISD to adopt single member districts.
Friday, February 2, 2018
POTD: Steampunk the Dickens out of Galveston
From 2017 12 01 Galveston |
Today's photo-of-the-day is from December's "Dickens on the Strand" festival in Galveston, Texas. Three clothing styles dominate the Strand during the festival: Victorian fashion, pirate costumes, and steampunk fashion. Oddly, they don't clash; they compliment each other.
Thursday, February 1, 2018
Repeat Tweets: Here Lies Mark
Repeat tweets from January, 2018:
- Jan 1 2018: RT @azalben: "How about we use predictive text to write our own epitaphs? Write 'Here lies [YOUR NAME]. [preferred pronoun] was...' and let your phone finish the rest."
Here lies Mark. He was going to be so awkward. - Jan 1 2018: RT @EmilyRCWilson: "My Odyssey translation is ... $3.99 RIGHT NOW ON KINDLE."
If your New Year resolutions involve supporting scholarship in the humanities, this is a no-brainer (and they should, d'oh). - Jan 1 2018: RT @jaketapper: "Trump's first 2018 tweet: Pakistan has 'given us nothing but lies & deceit'".
Trump is a textbook case of psychological projection.
After the jump, more repeat tweets.
Wednesday, January 31, 2018
POTD: Ice Bar
From 2017 12 01 Galveston |
Today's photo-of-the-day is from the Ice Bar in Ice Land at Moody Gardens in Galveston. The temperature is kept at 9 degrees Fahrenheit. The tables and chairs are made of ice. Cold hands. Warm heart.
Bonus photo after the jump.
Tuesday, January 30, 2018
Personal Shopper (2017)
Rotten Tomatoes |
Monday, January 29, 2018
I Married into Royalty
What do Meghan Markle, Kate Middleton, and I have in common? Quit sniggering. The answer? We all married (or are engaged to marry) into the British royal family. Again, quit sniggering. I'm serious. Kate Middleton married Prince William, Duke of Cambridge. Meghan Markle is engaged to Harry, Prince Henry of Wales. And I, of course, am married to Ellen, princess/duchess something/something, ...well, read on.
Friday, January 26, 2018
POTD: Pirates of the Gulf
From 2017 12 01 Galveston |
Today's photo-of-the-day is from December's "Dickens on the Strand" festival in Galveston, Texas. Three clothing styles dominate the Strand during the festival: Victorian fashion (as expected), steampunk fashion, and pirate costumes. Oddly, they don't clash; they compliment each other.
Thursday, January 25, 2018
Oscar Snubs and Surprises
Oscar nominations were announced January 23, 2018, and as usual there were some snubs and surprises. I happened to see more than my usual number of movies this year before the Oscars are handed out on March 4, so naturally I have some strong opinions.
Wednesday, January 24, 2018
The B-Side (2017)
Rotten Tomatoes |
Tuesday, January 23, 2018
POTD: The Merrie Mary Show
From 2017 12 01 Galveston |
Today's photo-of-the-day is from the Strand in Galveston. Comedic acrobat Mary Evanoff is the star of the Merrie Mary Show, juggling while balancing on her Evanoff Pole held on the shoulders of two volunteers from her audience.
Bonus photo after the jump.
Monday, January 22, 2018
Sharing is Good
Everyone is getting riled up over the sight of bicycles left out in public. They're everywhere. They're an eyesore. They're a nuisance. I'm late to this hate rally, but my hope is that after everyone vents, the bikes are still there. I'm with Krista Nightengale:
I'm not bothered by the brightly colored bikes lining our sidewalks. And when I see one that has fallen down? I pick it up.
Source: Krista Nightengale.
Friday, January 19, 2018
POTD: Votes for Women
From 2017 12 01 Galveston |
Today's photo-of-the-day is from the Strand in Galveston. Women campaigned for decades to get states to recognize their right to vote. Voting is precious. The deadline to vote in the March primaries in Texas is Monday, February 5, 2018. Register and vote.
Thursday, January 18, 2018
The Post (2017)
Rotten Tomatoes |
Wednesday, January 17, 2018
Governor Doesn't Know Best
I recently saw a link to a page on Texas Governor Greg Abbott's personal campaign website, along with the endorsement, "I'm starting to like this guy..." I clicked on the link hoping to find proposals for how local governments are supposed to fund local needs -- you know, things like education for special needs, relief of overcrowded classrooms, giving teachers raises, repaving our streets and alleys, keeping swimming pools open, etc. But it turns out that those aren't the problems Governor Abbott cares about. And he certainly isn't interested in working with local government in coming up with solutions.
Tuesday, January 16, 2018
Monday, January 15, 2018
I, Tonya (2017)
Rotten Tomatoes |
Friday, January 12, 2018
POTD: A Portrait of the Artist
From 2017 12 01 Galveston |
Thursday, January 11, 2018
Neighborhood Schools, Segregated Schools
Two societal values are in conflict when it comes to school attendance boundaries. On the one hand, parents want their children to attend their neighborhood school. On the other hand, schools segregated by race are considered harmful to society.
Courts allow school districts to take demographic information into consideration when drawing school attendance zones. But because the concept of the neighborhood school is so strong, school districts tend to shy away from using that power. A common result is schools that reflect neighborhood segregation.
Neighborhoods in the Richardson ISD range from almost all white to almost all minority, with everything in between. How do the schools in those neighborhoods compare with their surrounding neighborhoods?
Courts allow school districts to take demographic information into consideration when drawing school attendance zones. But because the concept of the neighborhood school is so strong, school districts tend to shy away from using that power. A common result is schools that reflect neighborhood segregation.
Neighborhoods in the Richardson ISD range from almost all white to almost all minority, with everything in between. How do the schools in those neighborhoods compare with their surrounding neighborhoods?
Wednesday, January 10, 2018
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (TV 2017)
Rotten Tomatoes |
Tuesday, January 9, 2018
Why Teach Music...and Mathematics
I'm not musical. I never played an instrument. My choir classes ended in eighth grade. My music appreciation class in ninth grade gave me my lowest grade in my whole high school career. Yet, I've come to appreciate a musical education for all the reasons given in the Facebook post below.
Monday, January 8, 2018
Darkest Hour (2017)
Rotten Tomatoes |
Friday, January 5, 2018
OTBR: The New Virginia Avenue Tunnel
Longitude: W 076° 59.694
After the jump, a few of the random places (and I mean random literally) that I visited vicariously (not actually) last month that are "off the blue roads".
Thursday, January 4, 2018
Vote for Change
Have you ever noticed how education professionals (school boards, adminstrators, teachers, etc.) have historically taken a low profile on election day, but then caravan to Austin when the legislature opens? Have you thought like me that this is backwards? That laws and regulations and policies helpful to public education are decided in the voting booth, not afterwards? In these early days of 2018, I'm hopeful that this is changing.
Wednesday, January 3, 2018
Raw (2017)
Rotten Tomatoes |
Tuesday, January 2, 2018
Downsizing (2017)
Rotten Tomatoes |
Monday, January 1, 2018
Idle Thoughts: Cognitive Dissonance
Idle thoughts from December, 2017:
- Dec 2 2017: Cognitive dissonance is being at Dickens on the Strand listening to youth band with 15 bagpipes playing Camptown Races.
- Dec 2 2017: Pete Sessions is pleased with a massive tax hike on the middle class to pay for a massive tax cut for the 1%. I look forward to voting him out in 2018.
- Dec 2 2017: RT @NumbersMuncher: "From a year ago, but point remains: Ted Cruz propped up Trump during the primaries because he desperately wanted Trump's supporters. Ted Cruz is the worst."
Ted Cruz is the worst...and not just for his cynical support for Trump in the early 2016 primaries. - Dec 2 2017: RT @TASBGR: "Behind Oklahoma, Texas Has Made Deepest Cuts To State Education Funding In Past Decade."
Don't let Villalba or Button or even Koop claim to support education without complaining about this to high heaven.
After the jump, more idle thoughts.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)