Library Elf / Richardson Public Library

I was checking out some books and noticed a Library Elf flyer:

Who uses Elf?

• Anyone who wants to reduce overdues
• Families with children and lots of books
• Individuals with several library cards
• Anyone who requests a lot of holds

What's delivered?

• Email and/or RSS alerts before items are due
• Email and/or RSS alerts on overdues and holds
• Consolidated list of yours or your family's library loans and holds
• Cellphone text message alerts for holds (US and Canada)
• Real-time checking by browser

The flyer said that RPL subscribes to www.LibraryElf.org so use is free for RPL members. It mentioned email alerts for due dates and holds.

Ok, I'll bite. You register and indicate your library affilliation, and put in your card number and PIN. This didn't freak me out as RPL account info is only used at RPL. Answered the required email test and, sure enough, it displays my checked out items and holds.

Since you can't turn off ready hold notifications at RPL, I think the main advantage is being able to see multiple accounts at once. Neat idea but I think there's not a lot of meat there yet.

next Crime Watch Patrol class scheduled

... word has it that the RPD has booked rooms in the Civic Center for the next class, on April 12-13th. The same word further indicates that if a suitable applicant gets their application in now they will likely be scheduled for the April class.

Things to know:

• You must be invited to the classes by RPD (ie, must already have application approved). You can't just show up. Since non-public information is shared with CWP as part of the crime watch effort, background checks and other due diligence is in effect.
  
• Must attend both classes
• After you attend and pass the test you will do one or more "check rides" with your area's CWP coordinator. Then you're active!

[none of this necessarily reflects the opinions of RPD; I'm just a citizen. Do your own fact checking before plunking down your time and effort.]

All funds do not *have* to be spent

Here ya go.

This is what financial conservatism and responsibility look like.

For Immediate Release
March 1, 2010

Congressman Paul Returns Over $100,000 to Treasury



Washington, D.C. - Congressman Ron Paul has continued to run his Congressional office in a frugal manner, and was able to return more than $100,000 from his allotted office budget to the Treasury this year, an increase over the $90,000 returned last year.

“Since my first year in Congress representing the 14th district I have managed my office in a frugal manner, instructing staff to provide the greatest possible service to the people of the 14th district at the least possible cost to taxpayers,” said Paul.

End of an era?

I assume C&P is still running behind the velvet ropes, and ill-mannered wolves are the reason for the change.

Can anyone confirm the blog is still active in the VIP room?

No.

[please see the followup at the bottom]


As Mr. Hartnett said, "if you want any of this you need to cut out about half of it."

The city has played their cards, and counts on two things happening:

1. the voters in the pork-receiving areas will vote yes out of parochial self-interest
2. other voters will vote yes in order to get the needed insfrastructure maintenance

I think a standoff is in order. City Council wants to soak the taxpayers for pretty civic trinkets? Fine, we can reject it. Mr. Mayor, come back to the residents when you have something reasonable, responsible, and respectful of the citizens you serve. You can only shear a sheep so close, and even then you must be mindful of the weather.



PS: If anyone needs a reminder of how shallow the Shiny Pretty City booster crap is, find a few open evenings to re-read Babbitt. Although it was written in the 1920s you will absolutely recognize the same types in our own little burg. The novel is razor sharp.

Followup. I have received this info that appears to confirm a 4-proposal bond election:

Prop 1 - Streets and Drainage-$24,710,000

Prop 2 - Parks -$22,645,000

Prop 3 - Public Buildings - $10,495,000

Prop 4 - Neighborhood Vitality - $8,150,000

If this is in fact the case then I will ratchet back my opposition. It's not exactly a line-item-veto level of control but is much better than a monolithic proposal. It also means I need to back off my "hostage" verbiage.

Richardson Go-Go dancers, stat!

Ok, this was a little unexpected.

Made a screenshot over there in case the original page goes away.

2/15 work session: need != want

Around 9:16pm

Slagel: "There is the issue of being able to do the things we need to do and there's not a way without a significant tax base growth and sales tax growth to be able to do the things we want to do without a tax increase... It really poses a significant issue for us."

Mr. Mayor, the significant issue here is the conflation of the concepts "need" and "want". There is a subset of voters are that NOT interested in porky, politically-expedient debt-spending when the economic shizznit has hit our collective and individual fans.

Seriously, sir. Have the courage to lead the city council with fiscal conservatism and responsibility in this difficult time. This is not a game, and we ain't playin'.