City Council Waits for a Sign

The bug infestation shows no sign of being exterminated. In fact, the big bug is being catered to. In 2013, it was AutoNation VW asking for a zoning change to allow them to expand their auto dealership in Richardson's Interurban District ("Lemon"). The City Council complied. For some reason, AutoNation didn't go through with their plans, but in 2022, the dealership, now Clay Cooley VW, was back again, asking for approval to expand the car dealership. Again the City Council complied. Now in 2024, Clay Cooley VW is back yet again, this time with two different requests. On August 12, the City Council will hear a request for Clay Cooley VW to add a repair shop, a body shop, and a vehicle storage lot on the property. Separately, they are asking for a variance on the height of their business sign, wanting to erect a 39 foot pole sign, despite an ordinance limiting pole signs to 20 feet.

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (2024)

Rotten Tomatoes

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (2024): Comedy requires novelty to elicit laughter. There's a new family living in the fire station, but they get overshadowed by the original characters who are still around, too, making for a too-crowded movie. Show your kids the original instead. D+

Netflix

City Council Lays an Egg

The World War I poster proclaims: "Uncle Sam expects you to keep hens and raise chickens...In time of peace a profitable recreation; in time of war a patriotic duty."

A century later, the Richardson City Council spent over an hour discussing updating the City's animal ordinances, much of the time spent on setting a limit on how many chickens one household can keep.

POTD: Beach Tricks

"Casablanca's shore,
In the air, a fleeting flip,
A moment to soar."
— h/t ChatGPT

From 2023 09 22 Casablanca

Today's photo-of-the-day is from the Atlantic Ocean beach in Casablanca, Morocco. Just a young man doing a back flip in the sand. That is all.

POTD: Palm Grove of Marrakesh

"The camel has a single hump;
The dromedary, two;
Or else the other way around.
I'm never sure. Are you?"
— Ogden Nash

From 2023 09 20 Marrakesh

Today's photo-of-the-day is from the Palm Grove of Marrakesh, Morocco, which dates back more than 1,000 years. The grove is "a palm oasis of several hundred thousand trees outside of Marrakesh, Morocco. Situated at the edge of the city's northern section, it measures 5 miles (8.0 km) in length, and covers an area of 54 square miles (140 km2). It is known for its eponymous palm trees and resorts and camel rides."

In case it's not obvious, that's "L" ahead of me on a camel ride in the desert.

Ripley (TV 2024)

Rotten Tomatoes

Ripley (TV 2024): Crime story set in Italy in 1961. A grifter hired to convince a rich man's son to return to the US instead cons him for money. The film noir look (moody B&W shots of moonlight, stairs, water, blood, and a cat) make this a stylish thriller, but with a plot that strains credulity. B+

Netflix

The Signal (TV 2024)

Rotten Tomatoes

The Signal (TV 2024): Germany. Astronaut picks up signal from aliens. Governments want it kept secret, making her and her family targets. The best part is the family drama. The worst parts are the lack of believable explanations for the govt response and for the aliens themselves. C+

Netflix

The Worst Places to Eat in Richardson

The City of Richardson is rightly regarded as having some of the best, most diverse, dining options in north Texas ("Eat & Drink"). Feeling a bit like "Opposite Man," I thought I'd offer a list of the ten worst places to eat in Richardson this month. It's based on the City of Richardson's Health Department Restaurant Scores for last month. That is, each month features a different list.

POTD: Morocco Earthquake

"Marrakesh trembles,
Earthquake's force shakes ancient walls,
Medina's heart breaks."

— h/t ChatGPT

From 2023 09 20 Marrakesh

Today's photo-of-the-day is from Marrakesh, Morocco. According to Reliefweb, "On 8 September 2023 at 22.11 UTC powerful earthquake of magnitude 6.8 struck Morocco at 18.5 km depth. The epicenter was in the High Atlas Mountains, 71km (44 miles) south-west of Marrakesh. Marrakesh, with a population of 840,000 inhabitants is the most impacted city."

We were on a tour of Portugal and Spain, and scheduled to go to Morocco, when the earthquake struck. All travel to Morocco was suspended for at least a week while authorities rushed relief aid and assessed the damage. Damage was heaviest in the Atlas Mountains, which was not on our itinerary. There was lesser damage in Marrakesh, which was on our itinerary. Our tour was scheduled to go to Morocco in a week. Finally, word came from out tour company that we could choose to go or not. Everyone chose to go. The photo-of-the-day shows damage to buildings in the medina, a heavily touristed area in the heart of Marrakesh.

Click for a bonus photo of damage to the old city wall of Marrakesh.

POTD: Jemaa el-Fnaa in Marrakesh

"Market's vibrant pulse,
Bustling heart of Marrakesh,
Energetic beat."
— h/t ChatGPT

From 2023 09 20 Marrakesh

Today's photo-of-the-day is from Jemaa el-Fnaa, the huge square and marketplace in Marrakesh's medina quarter. It is the heart of Marrakesh.

The Beekeeper (2024)

Rotten Tomatoes

The Beekeeper (2024): A "beekeeper" is a special forces operative charged with protecting US interests (the hive). Oh, the title character is also a literal keeper of bee hives. Silly. He becomes a one-man wrecking ball meting out extra-judicial vengeance against some bad guys. All who try to follow the law (police, FBI, CIA) become his victims, too. C+

Prime

Robert's Rules of Disorder

Richardson City Council meetings have never been a shining example of parliamentary procedure. Under Mayor Bob Dubey, things have only gotten worse. I've long thought that someone well-versed in Robert's Rules of Order would be able to bend the Council to his will through skillful use of these arcane rules of parliamentary procedure. The July 15, 2024, meeting was a case in point. But was it happening by cunning or more likely, merely by accident? Let's go to the transcript.

Bob Marley: One Love (2024)

Rotten Tomatoes

Bob Marley: One Love (2024): Biopic of the Jamaican reggae star. The intersection of religion and politics is skimped on. So, too, is Marley's complex personal life, except for one explosive scene with his wife about infidelity. But see it for the music. B+

Prime

Council Recap: "Heads in Beds" Prevails

"City council overrode a decision by plan commission in vote to supersize residential portion of massive mixed-use development." That's how TheRealDeal summarized the Richardson City Council's unanimous vote to allow a boost of 1,175 apartments at CityLine, for a total of 5,100. The City Plan Commission had previously denied the request 5-2, with one commissioner citing the desire to see "more creative retail or entertainment uses." City Manager Don Magner put his finger on the scale by saying the proposal "creates a path forward that's based in market reality," with the market reality being that right now, money is available for wood-frame apartments, so that's what we ought to build, tying up that land for the next fifty years. That's how developers think. That's not how City Councils should think.

POTD: Majorelle Blue

"Majorelle's retreat,
Colors bloom in desert's heat,
Art and nature blend."

— h/t ChatGPT

From 2023 09 20 Marrakesh

Today's photo-of-the-day is from Marrakesh, Morocco, specifically the Majorelle Garden. It was designed by the French artist Jacques Majorelle in the 1920s and was restored in the 1980s by Yves Saint-Laurent. Majorelle trademarked the name Majorelle Blue for this intense shade of blue.

Click for a bonus photo.

POTD: Palm raising in Marrakesh

"In Marrakesh streets,
Inspired by a distant scene,
Palm recalls a flag."
— h/t ChatGPT

From 2023 09 20 Marrakesh

According to the Pulitzer Prizes, "Perhaps no Pulitzer Prize-winning photograph is better known than Joe Rosenthal’s picture of six U.S. Marines raising the American flag on Mount Suribachi on Iwo Jima. It was taken on Friday, Feb. 23, 1945, five days after the Marines landed on the island."

Famous enough that I wasn't surprised to see this homage on a wall in faraway Marrakesh, Morocco, of all places.

The Sympathizer (TV 2024)

Rotten Tomatoes

The Sympathizer (TV 2024): Black comedy about the aftermath of the Vietnam War. Everyone comes out looking bad: South Vietnamese army, Communists, CIA, Hollywood, and Robert Downey, Jr, playing four roles in the same over-the-top way. B-

Max

Dark Matter (TV 2024)

Rotten Tomatoes

Dark Matter (TV 2024): Bad Jason steals good Jason's identity and family. Good Jason has to find him in an infinity of universes and defeat him. Good presentation of the many-worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics, but with an infinity of worlds, why care about any one in particular? B+

AppleTV+

Student Housing is At Risk Again

Rendering of ATRE Waterview Mixed-Use Development

In December, 2022, when we last checked in on the long-running saga of one Richardson man's quest to build student-purposed housing just north of UT-Dallas, things were looking up, but with a big catch ("Breakthrough in Student Housing").

The catch was that City Council insisted on starting construction on a hotel and traditional apartment along with some retail before agreeing to issue a certificate of occupancy for the first phase, student-purposed housing.

POTD: Hey, Hay

"Bales stacked skyward high,
Overloaded truck sways slow,
Endless road ahead."
— h/t ChatGPT

From 2023 09 20 Marrakesh

Today's photo-of-the-day is from the Moroccan highway somewhere between Fez and Marrakesh. That is all.

POTD: Nice Bright Colors

"Kodachrome, they give us those nice bright colors
They give us the greens of summers
Makes you think all the world's a sunny day, oh yeah
I got a Nikon camera, I love to take a photograph
So mama don't take my Kodachrome away."
— Paul Simon

From 2023 09 20 Marrakesh

Today's photo-of-the-day is from the Moroccan countryside, somewhere on the highway between Fez and Marrakesh. I don't know anything about the place in the photo. Its colors were what caught my eye then and I still think it makes for a good photo-of-the-day. All the world's a sunny day.

Fancy Dance (2024)

Rotten Tomatoes

Fancy Dance (2024): Set on the Seneca-Cayuga reservation in Oklahoma, a woman goes missing and her sister can't get authorities to care, while she cares for her 13-yr-old niece who looks forward to the mother-daughter dance at the upcoming powwow. A look at indomitable human spirit. B+

AppleTV+

Shogun (TV 2024)

Rotten Tomatoes

Shogun (TV 2024): Adaptation of James Clavell’s 1975 bestseller about Japan in 1600. More culturally sensitive than the novel. This one is more about power dynamics in feudal Japan than romantic liaison. It's an American production that feels like a Japanese one. Outstanding sets, costumes, and cinematography. B+

Hulu

Richardson Says No to LEED

During two meetings in which the Richardson City Council reviewed progress on building a new City Hall, the question of LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification came up twice, both times in questions asked by Councilmember Curtis Dorian.

Random Thoughts: AI-Generated News

2024-06-01: Today's example of irony: A news story about elections in India from a news source that uses a fountain pen for a logo and a motto of "Dare to Write" ends with this disclaimer: "This is AI generated news with no Human interference."
greatandhra.com/politics/india...

2024-06-01: MaryAnne Doty's comment: "Maybe it's time for Tree the Town to help replace all the mature trees we lost in Richardson this week."