Friday, May 31, 2024

Council Recap: The City Manager's Curious Statements

Source: h/t DALL-E

Wednesday, I reported on the Richardson City Council's review of the 2023-2024 Second Quarter Financial Report ("Council Recap: The Case of the Missing Sales Tax"). I included the comments from most of the City Council. Thursday, I reported on what the Mayor said (or didn't say) ("Council Recap: Where was the Mayor?"). Today, there's one more person to hear from whose comments deserve scrutiny — City Manager Don Magner.

Thursday, May 30, 2024

Council Recap: Where was the Mayor?

Source: h/t DALL-E

Yesterday, I reported on the Richardson City Council's review of the 2023-2024 Second Quarter Financial Report ("Council Recap: The Case of the Missing Sales Tax"). I included what most of the City Council said. Privately, someone asked, "Where was the Mayor during this discussion?" The literal answer is that he was right there with the rest of the City Council. The more interesting question, "What was he thinking?" is one I can't answer.

Wednesday, May 29, 2024

Council Recap: The Case of the Missing Sales Tax

Source: h/t DALL-E

On May 13, 2024, the Richardson City Council held a worksession in which they reviewed the 2023-2024 Second Quarter Financial Report. "It's going to hurt." That's how Richardson Budget Officer Bob Clymire described the impact of a significant sales tax decline. What was the City Council's reaction to this bad news? Therein lies a tale of institutional memory loss. Or self-gaslighting. Say something often enough and you start to believe it inherently. We'll get to that. Bear with me.

Tuesday, May 28, 2024

Dream Scenario (2023)

Rotten Tomatoes

Rotten Tomatoes

Dream Scenario (2023): Nicolas Cage plays a small-college professor having a midlife crisis who is suddenly famous as the guy who appears in everyone's dreams. A cautionary tale of cancel-culture without much to say about it. Good work by Cage. C+

Max

Monday, May 27, 2024

Council Recap: Bicycles

Source: h/t DALL-E

On May 20, 2024, the Richardson City Council reviewed and discussed renewing Richardson's status as a Bicycle Friendly Community and attaining a silver-level bike-friendly designation. A year ago, the City Council set a goal to gain the silver designation. Everyone remains on board with that goal. City staff also briefed the City Council on the City's progress on adopting a Complete Streets Policy. "Complete Streets" mean a "comprehensive multimodal transportation system that facilitates safe, accessible, comfortable, and convenient mobility for all people and travel modes." There's a consensus on that as a goal for Richardson as well.

That said, I'm worried about some of the things that individual Councilmembers said.

Sunday, May 26, 2024

POTD: View of Toledo


"Grade school memory
of El Greco's Toledo.
Homage through my lens."

—h/t ChatGPT
From 2023 09 15 Toledo

Today's photo-of-the-day is of Toledo, Spain. It's my homage to a famous painting that I first became aware of when I took a Spanish language course in grade school. The painting is El Greco's haunting "View of Toledo" owned by the Metropolitan Museum of New York.

El Greco's painting is after the jump.

Saturday, May 25, 2024

POTD: Almonacid Castle

"Time's relentless march,
Leaves marks on every stone.
Almonacid's pride."

—h/t ChatGPT

From 2023 09 15 Toledo

Today's photo-of-the-day is of Almonacid Castle in central Spain, south of Toledo. It dates back to the 9th century. As far as I can determine, it is unoccupied. Wikipedia says it is available for sale for "one euro cent to anyone who undertakes to completely restore it." It's a majestic opportunity.

Friday, May 24, 2024

Council Recap: Comp Plan Planning

Source: h/t DALL-E

On May 20, 2024, the Richardson City Council reviewed and discussed the Envision Richardson Comprehensive Plan update and upcoming Community Summit 3. That was the agenda item anyway. In fact any details of the Comp Plan were missing and the plans for the community summit took up all the time.

Thursday, May 23, 2024

Stefani Carter and Monty Bennett's "Buffoonery"


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

Stefani Carter is in the news again and not in a good way. Again, it's about Blackwells Capital LLC making a hostile attempt to install independent directors to the board of Monty Bennett's Braemar Hotels & Resorts Inc. The Wheel has followed Monty Bennett for his own behavior but mostly because of one of his company's directors, Stefani Carter ("What Has Stefani Carter Been Up To"). Carter is a former member of the Texas House of Representatives. She represented Richardson from 2011-2015. Or rather, she represented herself. She turned her service into a gig with Monty Bennett. Or, as D Magazine puts it, she "suckles at Bennett’s REIT" (Real Estate Investment Trust). Blackwells has now released a presentation titled "The Buffoonery of Monty Bennett" in which Bennett is featured and Carter, his lead director, is mentioned and not in a flattering way.

Wednesday, May 22, 2024

WAIW: This Might Blow Your Mind

Where Am I Wednesday!

Fifty points to the first person to identify where this photo was taken.

Answer will be given on Thursday.

Tuesday, May 21, 2024

Dune (1984)

Rotten Tomatoes

Rotten Tomatoes

Dune (1984): This David Lynch adaptation is as bad as I heard. Cheap sets and miniatures and special effects. Overly dramatic music. Clunky dialog. It's said movies should show, not tell. Dune tells, even down to narrating characters' thoughts. C-

Max

#VeryTardyReview

Monday, May 20, 2024

Jeanne Dielman, 23 Quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles (1975)

Rotten Tomatoes

Rotten Tomatoes

Jeanne Dielman, 23 Quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles (1975): French. As dry as its title. 3.5 hrs of static camera shots in a claustrophobic apartment showing a woman's life of quiet desperation. Packing a punch for feminism, it tops BFI's 2022 list of best films of all time. Not for everyone. C+

Max

#VeryTardyReview

Sunday, May 19, 2024

POTD: Man of La Mancha

"Miguel's words still live,
In the streets of this small town,
Don Quixote's realm."


—h/t ChatGPT
From 2023 09 15 Toledo

Today's photo-of-the-day is from Puerto Lapice in the province of La Mancha, Spain. Don Quixote is a fictional character, created by Miguel de Cervantes, who mentions the real town of Puerto Lapice by name in his classic novel. The modern town has capitalized on that fact. It's not big, but it's all about the Man of La Mancha.

A bonus photo is after the jump.

Saturday, May 18, 2024

POTD: Olives Everywhere. And Bull.

"Olive groves extend
All across central Spain's land,
Liquid gold abounds."


—h/t ChatGPT
From 2023 09 15 Toledo

Today's photo-of-the-day is from central Spain, where olive groves are everywhere. We've already covered this agricultural fact in our photo-of-the-day near Seville in southern Spain, but the country is the world's largest exporter of olive oil. In 2022, 43% of the world's exports came from Spain. And that's no bull.

A bonus photo is after the jump.

POTD: Does God Exist?

Today's real-time photo-of-the-day is from Bodrum on the Turkish Riviera. A man nearby is reading a book with the title "Does God Exist?" From my particular vantage point today the answer is unequivocally yes.

Wednesday, May 15, 2024

WAIW: Things Worth a Solitary Dime

Where Am I Wednesday!

Fifty points to the first person to identify where this photo was taken. (Ten bonus points for each of the three things that you can name that are worth a solitary dime.)

Answer is after the jump.

Monday, May 13, 2024

Wonka (2023)

Rotten Tomatoes

Rotten Tomatoes

Wonka (2023): Origin story for the chocolate maker. Songs are catchy, but Timothée Chalamet has neither the voice nor the needed madcap twinkle in his eye to carry the movie. There may be a happy ending, but before that it's all Wonka's hardships with slave masters, corrupt police, and an evil chocolate cartel. B-

Apple TV+

Sunday, May 12, 2024

POTD: The Alhambra

"Granada's treasure,
Alhambra's timeless allure,
Echoes of glory."


—h/t ChatGPT
From 2023 09 14 Granada

Today's photo-of-the-day is from the Alhambra in Granada, Spain. It's not just a monument or a building. It's a fortress and a palace and a whole world unto itself. Begun in 1238, "it is one of the most famous monuments of Islamic architecture and one of the best-preserved palaces of the historic Islamic world, in addition to containing notable examples of Spanish Renaissance architecture."

A bonus photo is after the jump.

Saturday, May 11, 2024

POTD: The Bishop's Opening

"Cathedral backdrop,
Father and son deep in thought,
Chess pieces in hand."


—h/t ChatGPT
From 2023 09 14 Granada

This photo was taken on the steps of Granada Cathedral in Granada, Spain. It features an unidentified father and son playing chess. A chess beginner's maxim is "develop knights before bishops" but when you are playing literally on the steps of a cathedral, such maxims maybe can be ignored.

A bonus photo is after the jump.

Thursday, May 9, 2024

The Gentlemen (TV 2024)

Rotten Tomatoes

Rotten Tomatoes

The Gentlemen (TV 2024): A Guy Ritchie production. A young English duke inherits his family estate...and the enormous weed business it harbors. He tries to extricate himself and only gets dragged deeper into the criminal world. There are no good guys here, only a lot of unlikeable characters doing unlikeable things. B-

Netflix

Wednesday, May 8, 2024

Unfrosted (2024)

Rotten Tomatoes

Rotten Tomatoes

Unfrosted (2024): Origin story of Pop-Tarts by Jerry Seinfeld, filled with more comedians than "Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee." What made that show interesting was the loosely scripted banter. Here, it's all scripted and rehearsed. Jokes are aimed for Baby Boomers but Barbie did it so, so much better. C-

Netflix

Tuesday, May 7, 2024

Baby Reindeer (TV 2024)

Rotten Tomatoes

Rotten Tomatoes

Baby Reindeer (TV 2024): Lonely woman walks into a bar. Bartender takes pity on her, bringing a stalker into his life. Why does it take him six months to go to the police? The sexual abuse he once suffered plays a role. Like slowing down to rubberneck a car accident, I hated myself for watching. Sad. Exploitative. C+

Netflix

Monday, May 6, 2024

A Time for Pigs to Die

Source: h/t DALL-E

Recently, I wrote about "Density versus Sprawl". I was referring to the choice the City of Richardson faces in updating its Comprehensive Plan. In another post, "The Road to Zero Degradation", I identified increased density as part of the solution to the eternal challenge of finding enough money to fix potholes. I said, "Mayor Pro Tem Arefin gets it, saying in a recent City Council meeting, 'We have to have revenue from new sources to get our infrastructure fixes.'"

Sunday, May 5, 2024

POTD: Our Love is Here to Stay

"In time the Rockies may crumble,
Gibraltar may tumble,
they’re only made of clay.
But our love is here to stay."


— Ira Gershwin
From 2023 09 13 Gibraltar

Today's photo-of-the-day was taken at the border between Spain and the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar.

A bonus photo is after the jump.

Saturday, May 4, 2024

POTD: This Sceptred Isle

"Do photos deceive?
Would calling England from here
Require long distance?"


—h/t ChatGPT
From 2023 09 13 Gibraltar

Where was this photo taken? You might say, obviously somewhere in England. Even the title of this article, a famous phrase from Shakespeare's Richard II, seems to say so. But the photo was not taken in England, unless that is, you consider the British Overseas Territories to be as much a part of England as the Lake District or the Cotswalds. Which, of course, is what the English believe. The Spanish have other ideas. Anyway, this photo-of-the-day was taken in Gibraltar.

A bonus photo is after the jump.

Thursday, May 2, 2024

Council Recap: A New School in Richardson?

Source: h/t DALL-E

On April 22, 2024, the Richardson City Council considered a request by a private school to move into an existing church building on Abrams Rd. near Walnut St. The school is Coram Deo Academy, a classical, Christian, K-12 school with three campuses. It wants to relocate its Dallas campus on Alpha Rd to Richardson. Because of zoning regulations, a special permit is needed.

Wednesday, May 1, 2024

Random Thoughts: Eclipse Conspiracy Theories

Mastodon

2024-04-06: I don't recall any conspiracy theories about the eclipse circulating on social media. Am I missing them?

2024-04-09: Great view of the eclipse in McKinney. Diamond ring, 3 minutes of totality, then another diamond ring. Awesome.

2024-04-09: I always tell people that partial eclipses are interesting, but just can't compare to a total eclipse. A 99% partial eclipse sounds good, but totality is something else entirely. We would have been chasing the 2017 eclipse if we didn't know that the 2024 eclipse was coming right to us.