Blonde (2022)

Rotten Tomatoes

Blonde (2022): Biopic of Marilyn Monroe. All the bad is here. Broken home. Childhood PTSD. Casting couch. Abusive marriages. Exploited her whole sad life, even after death by this movie. Lurid details invented. Hallucinations. She deserves better. But Ana de Armas is terrific. B-

Code of Ethics "Covers the Basics"

Given thorough review and amendments in 2020, Staff has no recommended additions or changes.

Source: City of Richardson.

And with that, in 17 and a half minutes the Richardson City Council rushed through another biennial review of its Code of Ethics, making no changes.

POTD: Windsurf

Today's photo-of-the-day is of unidentified riders on the Windsurf ride on the Midway at the State Fair of Texas in Fair Park in Dallas. Despite appearances, the photo is upside right.

If you haven't caught the State Fair yet, you have only one more day to do so. It closes today.

All photos from the 2022 State Fair of Texas can be found on Google Photos.

POTD: Midway Rides

Today's photo-of-the-day is of the Midway at the State Fair of Texas in Fair Park in Dallas.

Angie Chen Button Equates Public Schools with Mao's China

During the recent Richardson ISD school board election, I wrote a lot of blog posts (a lot) about the incendiary and false charges being leveled by extreme right-wing candidates against public education. But I have to say, nothing they wrote compares to this outrageous claim in a mailer by Angie Chen Button.

Catherine, Called Birdy (2022)

Rotten Tomatoes

Catherine, Called Birdy (2022): Coming-of-age tale by Lena Dunham. In 1290 England, Catherine, a spirited, independent girl, sabotages the suitors her father tries to marry her off to. It might work for the 13-yr-old girl market, but neither the satire nor comedy work for me. C+

The Empress (TV 2022)

Rotten Tomatoes

The Empress (TV 2022): German. Costume drama of 16-yr-old Elisabeth's marriage to Habsburg Emperor Franz Joseph of Austria. Lots of court intrigue, international jostling for leadership, and revolution afoot. As good as "Victoria" or "The Crown" but in Vienna. B+

Prey (2022)

Rotten Tomatoes

Prey (2022): Prequel to six Predator films. Set on the Great Plains in 1719. Comanche girl wants to become a hunter and stalks a hostile alien. More a coming-of-age tale than a sci-fi monster movie. Amber Midthunder is fantastic as Naru. She's brave, smart, and persistent. A-

The Hamlet Syndrome on Richardson City Council

Source: The Hamlet Syndrome.

Between the May public hearing and the June codification into ordinance, one Council Member flip-flopped his vote from "yes" to "no", denying a special use permit for a smoking establishment in Richardson. Now, in October, the Richardson City Council voted 6-1 to approve a special use permit for a smoking establishment for the same restaurant, reversing that 4-3 vote in June. This time, three Council Members flip-flopped their votes from "no" to "yes." The codification of this latest vote into ordinance will follow, assuming the Council is now done flip-flopping. Armchair psychiatry is stupid, but here I go anyway. What's with this Hamlet Syndrome on Richardson City Council?

POTD: Caricature Artists

Today's photo-of-the-day is of a caricature artist at the State Fair of Texas in Fair Park in Dallas.