Richardson Needs a Premier Development

Source: Dallas International District.

"At long last, development is coming: six stories/296 luxury apartments of approximately 2600 square feet, ground floor restaurant and retail."
— Candy's Dirt

No, we're not talking about downtown Richardson, where we're going to get the ho-hum, sticks-and-bricks, four-story apartments (Polk Street Residences) with the least amount of "retail ready" space possible that still allows the city to call it mixed-use.

We're also not talking about Richardson's future Arapaho DART Station redevelopment, where we're going to get...who knows what?

POTD: Karen Classroom in Chiang Rai

From 2025 03 22 Chiang Rai

Today's photo-of-the-day was taken in a classroom in the Karen ("Long Neck") village near Chiang Rai, Thailand. School wasn't in session, but these two girls were in attendance anyway.

Bonus photos are after the jump.

POTD: Long Neck Karen Village

From 2025 03 22 Chiang Rai

Today's photo-of-the-day was taken in the Karen ("Long Neck") village near Chiang Rai, Thailand. The Karen people are indigenous to Myanmar, but, according to Wikipedia, "Due to the ongoing insurgency, hundreds of thousands of Karen fled to refugee camps along the Thai-Burmese border...Approximately 400,000 Karen live in Thailand, where they are by far the largest of the hill tribes."

Bonus photos are after the jump.

Council Recap: Board and Commission Appointments

On December 1, 2025, following the regular council meeting ("Council Recap: 2026 Bond Money for Streets"), the Richardson City Council adjourned and moved to a small conference room in the back of city hall and opened a special called meeting out of the camera's reach. There's no official video record of this meeting.

I was present (at least until the special meeting went into executive session to discuss candidates for quasi-judicial boards). Mine might be the only eyewitness account of this meeting by the Richardson City Council. I could have video recorded the public part of the meeting. The public interest would be better served by making all such council meetings accessible to everyone, even those who can't make it to meetings in person.

Council Recap: 2026 Bond Money for Streets

The Richardson City Council met Monday, December 1, 2025. There were two agenda items that I want to discuss. Video of the full meeting is available, as usual, on the City's website.

Just kidding. The second agenda item I want to discuss was part of the council's special called meeting, held in a back room, and not recorded. But I found my way back there and will have a thing or two to say about that meeting in tomorrow's post.

The Worst Places to Eat in Richardson Last Month

Graphic by City of Richardson.

The City of Richardson is rightly regarded as having some of the best and most diverse dining options in north Texas ("Eat & Drink"). But that doesn't mean every restaurant in Richardson exceeds in every measure. Here is a list of the worst places to eat in Richardson last month, based on the City of Richardson's Health Department Restaurant Scores from inspections last month. Not all Richardson restaurants are inspected each and every month. Only those inspected last month are ranked here. Only the lowest scores are shown.

Random Thoughts: Dick Cheney and Dubya

2025-11-04: BREAKING: Dick Cheney, one of the most powerful vice presidents in United States history, has died.
I guess now we'll find out, once and for all, whether George W Bush can speak.

POTD: Rong Suea Ten Temple (Blue Temple)

From 2025 03 22 Chiang Rai

Today's photo-of-the-day was taken at the Rong Suea Ten Temple (Blue Temple) in Chiang Rai in northern Thailand. According to Wikipedia, "Its final design was realized by Chiang Rai folk artist Mr. Phuttha Kabkaew. He gained skills and learned from Chalermchai Kositpipat while working on his famous Wat Rong Khun, just outside the city. Wat Rong Suea Ten's main building was completed on 22 January 2016. It took 11 years to complete the construction...It follows in the unconventional 'neo-traditional' style of Buddhist art pioneered by Chalermchai, employing lavishly ornamented sculptures and psychedelic visual imagery."

Bonus photos are after the jump.

POTD: Lunch in the Golden Triangle

From 2025 03 22 Chiang Rai

Today's photo-of-the-day was taken outside our lunch spot in the Golden Triangle of southeast Asia. According to Wikpedia, "The Golden Triangle is a large, mountainous region in northeastern Myanmar, Northern Thailand and northern Laos, centered on the confluence of the Ruak and Mekong rivers. The Golden Triangle has been one of the largest opium-producing areas of the world since the 1950s. Today, the Thai side of the river confluence, Sop Ruak, has become a tourist attraction with no opium cultivation."

Bonus photos are after the jump.

The Paper (TV 2025)

Rotten Tomatoes

The Paper (TV 2025): Spin-off to The Office, with the same mockumentary format. Instead of a Scranton paper company, it's set at a small Toledo newspaper. It's derivative, but just as good as the original. At least it's better than the last 5 or 6 seasons of The Office. B-

Peacock