Monday, July 29, 2024

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.

Sunday, July 28, 2024

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.

Saturday, July 27, 2024

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.

Wednesday, July 24, 2024

Ripley (TV 2024)

Rotten Tomatoes

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

Tuesday, July 23, 2024

The Signal (TV 2024)

Rotten Tomatoes

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

Monday, July 22, 2024

The Worst Places to Eat in Richardson Last Month

Restaurant Scores
Graphic by City of 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.

Sunday, July 21, 2024

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.

Saturday, July 20, 2024

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.

Thursday, July 18, 2024

The Beekeeper (2024)

Rotten Tomatoes

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

Wednesday, July 17, 2024

Robert's Rules of Disorder

Source: robertsrules.com/

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.