Dead To Me (TV 2019)

Rotten Tomatoes

Dead To Me (TV 2019): Woman whose husband is killed in a hit and run accident makes a friend in a grief counseling group. Gradually through the season both women's secrets are revealed. A murder mystery. An odd couple buddy movie. Bits of dark humor. Nailed the ending. B+

POTD: Russian Nesting Dolls

From 2018 08 17 Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery

Today's photo-of-the-day is from Kirillov, Russia, a small town on the Baltic-Volga waterway. It features a variety of nesting dolls, a ubiquitous souvenir in Russia. This photo features heroes of Russian history, everyone from Peter the Great to Lenin to Stalin to Putin to...Donald Trump. Barack Obama has been relegated to the back row.

After the jump, more nesting dolls.

The Cards We've Been Dealt

The old Richardson Square Mall property is getting a Chipotle and a Jason's Deli. I like these chains. I drive to west Richardson frequently to eat at the restaurants there. So why am I not thrilled with the news for east Richardson? I am not thrilled because the approval process shows how Richardson is reactive, not proactive. Tactical, not strategic. Dealing with matters as they arise, not anticipating future needs, leaving us with suboptimal solutions. There are better developments for Richardson Square that could still include a Chipotle and Jason's Deli, but we aren't even considering them. Instead, we're jumping on this because the brands are popular.

Ma (2019)

Rotten Tomatoes

Ma (2019): Psychological thriller with Octavia Spencer as the psychopath. Builds slowly to a climax that borders on torture porn. Spencer's performance should make a big impression on a younger generation of movie-goers, who might learn to be nicer to their classmates. C+

Rocketman (2019)

Rotten Tomatoes

Rocketman (2019): Less a concert movie than a study in the personal demons that drove Elton John to rehab. A couple of big Broadway song and dance numbers add to the patchwork quality. Would have preferred more concert footage. A good behind-the-scenes look at a genius. B+

POTD: School in Kirillov

From 2018 08 17 Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery

Today's photo-of-the-day is from a school in Kirillov, Russia, a small town on the Baltic-Volga waterway and home to the medieval Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery. First the school. The schoolgirl in the photo did a local cultural dance for visitors, then answered questions. Her English was excellent.

In a display on the side of the room was a patriotic flag and army helmet with holes in it, a constant reminder of the huge sacrifices the Russian people made to defeat Nazism in WWII.

After the jump, the helmet.

An Assignment for Steve Brown

Steve Brown is the real estate editor for The Dallas Morning News. I use the term editor instead of reporter because (1) that's what the newspaper uses in his byline and (2) his work often reads more like he edited a developer's press release than he did any original reporting. But once in a while, he breaks some news, even if you have to read carefully to find it. Such was the case with his recent article on the redevelopment of old downtown Richardson.

Retweets ≠ Endorsements

Retweets ≠ Endorsements. Unless they do. Sometimes a person retweets a message that he or she finds absurd/outrageous/despicable (pick any that apply) without intending to imply agreement. But sometimes, they do intend agreement. It depends. It sounds complicated, but it's usually easy to tell them apart in practice.

Idle Thoughts: Early Voting

Tweets from May, 2019:

• 2019-05-01: Early voting at Richardson Civic Center:
  2015: 1,338 people voted early in person.
  2017: 2,476.
  2019: 3,999.
  That includes all Dallas County voters who voted at the Civic Center, not just City of Richardson voters. Draw your own implications.
• 2019-05-02: Avengers: Endgame (2019): It was a satisfying finale to the sage. Tons of characters, tons of action, a simple quest movie but with many complex interleaved timelines. Best parts were when it didn't take its absurdities seriously. Next best were the few scenes without CGI. B-
• 2019-05-02: RT Nancy Pelosi: "Barr is lying to the American people. #FreeMueller."
  Think how unprecedented this is. She's the Speaker of the House. He's the Attorney General of the United States. He works at the pleasure of the President of the United States. (Link)

After the jump, more idle thoughts.

POTD: Church of the Nativity in Krokhino

From 2018 08 17 Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery

Today's photo-of-the-day is from the former village of Krokhino, Russia, along the Baltic-Volga waterway. When the canals were built connecting the Baltic Sea to the Volga River and on to the Caspian Sea, Krokhino was flooded. The ghostly Church of the Nativity still stands in shallow water along the waterway.

After the jump, a photo of the photographer.