TIL: America is on Track for "Fusion Never"

Source: New Yorker.

Since I was a young boy in the 1950s, I remember hearing the lure of electricity generated by nuclear power. "Too cheap to meter" was the promise. Fission nuclear reactors never delivered on that promise and turned out to have such serious shortcomings — think Three Mile Island, Chernobyl, Fukushima — that fewer fission power plants are being built today than are being retired.

Fusion power promised to solve all those problems. No meltdowns, no leftover radioactive waste, no need to mine or handle uranium or plutonium. Fusion power always seemed to be right around the corner. Today I learned, it's still right around the corner, but we're not even trying to get there anymore. At least not seriously.

Review: Interior Chinatown

From Interior Chinatown, by Charles Yu:

Ever since you were a boy, you've dreamt of being Kung Fu Guy. You are not Kung Fu Guy. You are currently Background Oriental Male, but you've been practicing. Maybe tomorrow will be the day."
	Amazon

Is it a screenplay? Is it a memoir? Is it a comedy? Is it a satire? Is it an indictment of Hollywood and American racism? Yes to all.

The Long Road to Richardson Restaurant Park

What the Customer Wanted

Source: City of Richardson.

In 2010, the City of Richardson embarked on the long journey of revitalization of the West Spring Valley Corridor. It started with a series of community meetings. The residents were clear on what they wanted to see in southwest Richardson: Urban. Mixed-use. Walkable. Pocket parks. Think Parisian boulevard.

No Time to Die (2021)

Rotten Tomatoes

No Time to Die (2021): I won't talk plot to avoid spoilers, but also because there are too many bad guys and intertwined back stories to follow. So, let's just say the car chases, gun fights, and acrobatic stunts don't disappoint. And Bond himself is less a cad. That's a plus. B-

What is a Drive-Thru Menu Board Worth?

Source: Casino Royale.

The poker game at the Horseshoe Saloon was getting interesting. On one side of the table were arrayed seven regulars. Across from them, with all eyes on him, was "Hot Chicken" Kirk. Although not a regular player, "Hot Chicken" played frequently enough that he knew each player's tics and tells. Would this be the game he used that knowledge for his own advantage?

Jersey Boys (2014)

Rotten Tomatoes

Jersey Boys (2014): Biopic of the Four Seasons. Why great artists always have messed up personal lives is an enduring mystery. The teenage lawbreaking, broken family, debt to the Mob, all crowd out the music. Less movie musical than concert footage and not enough of that. C+

#VeryTardyReview

Kajillionaire (2020)

Rotten Tomatoes

Kajillionaire (2020): Three small grifters (husband, wife, daughter) with bizarre schemes (and lifestyle) join up with another young woman (who is grifting who?). Gradually the daughter becomes alienated from parents. More sad than funny. Quirky, but not quirky enough. B-

Free Guy (2021)

Rotten Tomatoes

Free Guy (2021): I'm no gamer, but I can see how this would appeal to teen boys who are. A nonplayable character in a video game with hidden AI gains consciousness. The race is on to wrest control from the bad owner before a reboot erases him. Mostly fun, sweet and self-aware. B-

Tactics: Good, Bad, and Delegated

"Good tactics can save even the worst strategy.
Bad tactics will destroy even the best strategy."
— George S. Patton

The Richardson City Council met for three nights to set their goals, strategies, and tactics for the current two-year term. They didn't finish. Their goals were refined enough for the facilitator to polish them and publish them. Their strategies were in rougher shape. The facilitator will be challenged to merge and prune and wordsmith them to capture the intent of the Council.

Transparent, Open, and Accountable Government

Founding Father James Madison once wrote that democracy without information was "but prologue to a farce or a tragedy," and he regarded the diffusion of knowledge as "the only guardian of true liberty." Texas law has long agreed the inherent right of Texans to govern themselves depends on their ability to observe how public officials are conducting the people’s business. That is why the Texas Open Meetings Act was enacted, to ensure that Texas government is transparent, open, and accountable to all Texans.

Source: State of Texas.

I'm not about to accuse the City of Richardson of violating the letter of the law. It's the City's attitude towards the spirit of the law that gives me heartburn.