Council Recap: Cars & Signs, Ad Infinitum

At the Richardson City Council meeting of October 14, 2024, the Council approved yet another car dealer and, in a separate action, amended the existing planned development for the Eastside development to allow the applicant to develop a "master sign plan" for the development. A master sign plan is a way of getting approval for signs that are currently prohibited by ordinance. Because of course they did. They know better, just listen to them during deliberations. But when it comes time to vote, they can't help themselves. They vote yes.

POTD: Serrano Glacier. Salud!

"Blue ice, ages old,
chilled hands hold a frozen past,
soon to cool our drinks."

— h/t ChatGPT

From 2023 03 11 Chile Patagonia

Today's photo-of-the-day is from our first South American glacier, Serrano Glacier in southern Patagonia in Chile. Ellen is holding a piece of ice that calved from the glacier. Soon it will be cooling our drinks.

A bonus photo is after the jump.

POTD: Puerto Natales, Chile

"Southward, dreams unfold,
Patagonia's heart revealed,
One step closer now."
— h/t ChatGPT

From 2023 03 11 Chile Patagonia

Today's photo-of-the-day is from Puerto Natales, Chile. It was our first overnight stay way down south in Patagonia. The Andes Mountains stand tall, beckoning us to come closer. That awaits for another day.

Butcher, Baker, Candlestick Maker

Butcher, Baker, Candlestick Maker.
Resident, Employer, Landowner, Developer.
Renter, ..., wait, where are the Renters?

The City of Richardson has published a draft of its long-overdue Comprehensive Plan update, the first since 2009. I noticed words like residents, citizens, stakeholders, etc., used in different contexts. Are the distinctions significant? Dunno. The Plan doesn't say. And the closest it comes to a definition for any of the terms is this: "stakeholder—residents, employers and business owners, landowners, brokers and developers, partner agencies and organizations, nonprofits, and public officials." That's pretty comprehensive. It doesn't explicitly include renters, but because renters are residents, I'd argue that it implicitly includes them. But does the City think that? Really?

Feud: Capote vs. The Swans (TV 2024)

Rotten Tomatoes

Feud: Capote vs. The Swans (TV 2024): The backstory behind Truman Capote's unfinished novel about New York's elite society women. No one comes out looking good, Capote worst of all. He's a drunk, manipulative whiner. The Swans are entitled and self-absorbed. The series is more exhausting than revealing. C+

Hulu