Wadjda (2012)

IMDB

Wadjda (2012): Girl deals with repressive Saudi culture at home and school. She just wants a bicycle. Simple tale well told. Eye-opening. B-

S2L77: London - IV

Around town.

From 1977 05 10 England

A Kensington residential neighborhood

More photos after the jump.

Cutie and the Boxer (2013)

IMDB

Cutie and the Boxer (2013): Aging Japanese couple in NY, both artists. Their relationship, life and art. Art is a demon. Love is a roar. B-

"A Whole Bunch of Cranes"

Put it all together and you have a system easily dominated by insiders that is sometimes run for the benefit of the few, sometimes for no discernible benefit to anyone, but then there is this: Back away from it, fuzz your eyes a little, rake the skyline with your gaze, and what do you see? I see a whole bunch of cranes. I see stuff happening, some of it stupid but much of it pretty great. As long as the arrangement keeps clogging along and doesn't step too hard on the wrong toes, I don't think the vast majority of people will want to take on the sheer bother of changing it.

Source: Jim Schutze.

Writing in the Dallas Observer's blog Unfair Park, Jim Schutze is talking about the city council system in Dallas and how the city's single member districts influence how power is wielded in that city. Richardson has council members elected at large, but the general observation still holds: as long as "stuff" is happening, voters are unlikely to push too strongly for changing the system.

That set me to thinking (I know, always a dangerous practice). After the jump, unfinished business in Richardson.

Texas State University Wind Symphony at Plano West

Texas State University Wind Symphony Tour 2014 at Plano West: Pre-conference concert. "Sonic debauchery" and I mean that in a good way.

People Watching at the Dallas Arts District Block Party

From 2014 03 14 Dallas Arts District

After an afternoon of people-watching in Dallas' Klyde Warren Park, we extended the day by attending the Dallas Arts District Spring Break Block Party. The crowds and warm weather were perfect for more people watching.

More photos after the jump.

People Watching at Klyde Warren Park

The nice Spring weather brought out the crowds to downtown Dallas' Klyde Warren Park Friday afternoon. It was perfect for people watching.

From 2014 03 14 Klyde Warren Park

If you haven't heard, the park was built on top of the Woodall Rodgers freeway. Klyde Warren Park reminds me of Chicago's much larger Millennium Park, which was built on top of a railroad yard. Klyde Warren Park heals a gash in downtown Dallas created by building the freeway. The park bridges downtown with the Uptown district and draws people from both to the park. I guess I can still dream of something like this covering up the gash in Richardson's old downtown, Central Expressway. If you can't tear the freeways down, the next best thing is to cover 'em up.

More photos after the jump.

S2L77: London - III

From 1977 05 10 England

Tower Bridge (not the Tower of London, not London Bridge)
See how I used foliage to hide the unsightly scaffolding?

The Tower of London -- is there any single place in the world where so much compelling history took place? Really. Is there? I'd like to know.

By the way, the British crown jewels are on display at the Tower. Eye-popping. Yet, I was spoiled by being fortunate to see the crown jewels of Iran in Tehran first. You can't help comparing and concluding that the Queen of England comes across as a poor cousin to the Persian emperors of times past. Sorry, IJS. OTOH, the Persian jewels are kept in some bland, bank building basement. The British crown jewels are kept in the Tower of London! Advantage there to Lilibet.

More photos after the jump.

The Act of Killing (2012)

IMDB

Act of Killing (2012): Aging Indonesian death squad members re-enact 1965 killings for movie. Nation cheers. Surreal. Chilling. Obscene. B+

Quinceañera at Dallas Blooms

From 2014 03 11 Dallas Blooms

The weather was perfect -- 81 degrees and sunny. The smiling girls were out in their formal evening dresses to have their portraits taken with a backdrop of flowers. And what better backdrop of flowers can you arrange than Dallas Blooms? The girls' quinceañera birthday party itself is still to come, but for today, the whole world could share the girls' joy.