Monday Night Follies at City Hall

Random Thoughts: Hostilities Terminated

2026-05-04:
May 1: Trump declared Iran hostilities ‘terminated’ in letter to Congress.
May 4: U.S. and Iran exchange fire in strait as Trump attempts to open shipping lane.
Who are you going to believe, Trump or your own lying eyes?

Zombie Zoning in the Auto District

Source: ZF 26-08 (enhanced by ChatGPT).

A zombie is shambling in Richardson, this time in the form of Zoning File 26-08. The City has a "Car Lots and Repair Shops District" that it insists on calling the "Interurban District" despite the fact that the City Council approves what feels like every zoning application for that district with an automotive use. The latest zombie incarnation is a property with three lots formerly owned by Clay Cooley Volkswagen. In 2024, the City Council, by a 4-3 vote, gave a special permit to Clay Cooley to operate a car repair shop there ("Council Recap: Sell Out for a Mural"). The question now is, will the City Council award a permit to another zombie? After all, zombies are notoriously difficult to kill.

POTD: Khiva at Night

From 2025 09 17 Khiva

Today's photo-of-the-day is from Itchan Kala, the walled inner town of the city of Khiva, Uzbekistan. At night, as the heat gives way to cool breezes, the outdoor spaces of the city come alive. Outdoor dining fills the squares that are empty of people by day.

Bonus photos are after the jump.

POTD: Juma Mosque, Khiva

From 2025 09 17 Khiva

Today's photo-of-the-day is from Juma Mosque in Khiva, Uzbekistan. It dates to the tenth century and was rebuilt in 1788, although its celebrated hypostyle hall still retains 112 columns taken from ancient structures. It looks unused today because it's undergoing reconstruction yet again.

Bonus photos are after the jump.

What Has Stefani Carter Been Up To?

2013: Ringing Opening Bell on NYSE (Stefani Carter on left)

You may remember Stefani Carter. The former Texas state representative for parts of Richardson swept into office in the 2010 tea party wave. The ambitious politician who attempted to climb to statewide office (Texas Railroad Commission) in 2014 only to discover that the moneyed interests had other candidates in mind. Who then scrambled back to her legislative race in north Texas but lost her seat when GOP voters abandoned her in the primary for Linda Koop. Who then got a cushy job on the board of directors of Monty Bennett's hotel chain. Monty Bennett himself, one of the biggest supporters of right-wing political causes in Texas. You might know of his "newspaper", The Dallas Express (use of scare quotes intentional).

The last time we checked in on Stefani Carter was 2024, when we reported on why shareholders were upset with Monty Bennett's board for how they were running the company. She's in the news again, this time for resigning "without dispute" from the board of directors. There's no indication if she was given a going-away party.

The Fifth Element (1997)

Rotten Tomatoes

The Fifth Element (1997): Over-the-top, campy sci-fi cult movie. There's not so much a plot as a series of pointlessly absurd scenes. It is timeless escapism that's going to be re-released in July, 2026. D+

Netflix

#VeryTardyReview

Fackham Hall (2025)

Rotten Tomatoes

Fackham Hall (2025): English comedy about the Davenports, an aristocratic family trying to arrange a marriage to keep the manor house in the family after the death of Lord Davenport. Like a satire of Downton Abbey or Agatha Christie and a bit like Airplane, it's 90 minutes of non-stop gags, puns, slapstick, and bathroom humor. C-

HBO

Imperfect Women (TV 2026)

Rotten Tomatoes

Imperfect Women (TV 2026): Three women, best friends since college. Everything changes one night when one is murdered. Plot twists abound as hidden secrets are revealed. But the tonal shifts of the women strains credulity, going from victims to suspects episode to episode like a soap opera. B-

AppleTV+

What Do Richardson and Gilmer Have in Common?

It takes about two hours of driving on I-20 into east Texas to get from Richardson to Gilmer. What do they have in common? At first glance, maybe nothing. Taking a closer look, maybe a lot.