Reptile (2023)

Rotten Tomatoes

Reptile (2023): Benicio del Toro plays the Robert Mitchum part as a hardbitten detective solving a murder that gets closer to home the deeper he goes. He is excellent in this derivative murder mystery. The puzzling title simply means people shed their skins, revealing who they really are. C+

Why School Vouchers are Bad for Texas

The school voucher bill being deliberated by the Texas House of Representatives has been argued over elsewhere, everywhere. The bottom line for me is that it takes tax dollars currently being spent on public schools and diverts them to private schools. That hurts public education.

Council Recap: Car Wash

At the October 9, 2023, Richardson City Council meeting, the Council denied an application for a special permit for a car wash on Centennial Blvd. The vote was 6-1, with Joe Corcoran being the lone Councilmember who voted to approve the application.

Richardson's draft vision statement sees Richardson as having "a small town feel and big city amenities." In case anyone wonders what that means, this case offers a clue. The City Council spending an hour debating whether to allow a new car wash behind an already existing gas station is definitely "small town." Denying the request because the Council wants something grander behind the gas station is aspiring to be "big city."

POTD: Ici est né le mot ‘Bistro’

From 2022 12 25 Paris

"A taste of Paris,
'Bystro' in every bite,
La Mère Catherine."

—h/t ChatGPT

Today's photo-of-the-day is of La Mère Catherine, a brasserie in the 18th arrondissement of Paris, France, in the Montmartre district. La Mère Catherine claims to be where the word "bistro" originated. In 1814, a group of Russian soldiers there asked for drinks to be served "bystro" (Russian for "quickly"). True or not, it's a good defense when the French blame the invention of the fast food restaurant on Americans. It actually started in Paris.

Note that this photo was taken in late December. Despite the chilly weather, Parisians (or tourists) are eating at outdoor tables, like you see in real cities around the world.

Bonus photos are after the jump.

POTD: Sainte-Chapelle

From 2022 12 25 Paris

"A thousand words pale,
Before the beauty it holds,
Paris' sacred gem."
—h/t ChatGPT

Today's photo-of-the-day is from Paris. There's stained glass, and then there's Sainte-Chapelle. Google describes it as an "ornate, 13th-century, Gothic chapel with relics & notable stained-glass windows of biblical scenes." That hardly does it justice. A picture is worth a thousand words.

Poison (2023)

Rotten Tomatoes

Poison (2023): 17m short. Adaptation of Roald Dahl short story by Wes Anderson. More narration than dialog. Whether this works for you depends on liking the Wes Anderson style. B-

Rat Catcher (2023)

Rotten Tomatoes

Rat Catcher (2023): 17m short. Adaptation of Roald Dahl short story by Wes Anderson. More narration than dialog. Whether this works for you depends on liking the Wes Anderson style. B-

The Swan (2023)

Rotten Tomatoes

The Swan (2023): 17m short. Adaptation by Wes Anderson of a Roald Dahl short story about an incident of boyhood bullying. An inspiring story of endurance and growth. More narration than dialog. Whether this works for you depends on liking the Wes Anderson style. B-

The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar (2023)

Rotten Tomatoes

The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar (2023): 39m short. Adaptation by Wes Anderson of a Roald Dahl short story about a man who learns a yoga's skill at seeing through playing cards to make a fortune at blackjack. More narration than dialog. Whether this works for you depends on liking the Wes Anderson style. B-

Council Recap: Comp Plan Update

At the September 25, 2023, Richardson City Council meeting, the Council received an update on progress to update the City's 2009 Comprehensive Plan. I was disappointed to see that there was little progress, unless the progress has been to plan Community Summit 2. In October, the consultants on the Envision Richardson team will be conducting a Community Summit 2 to gather more public input. Open Houses will be held October 10 and 28. I was disappointed to see little engagement with the Council or by the Council in shaping the Comp Plan.