Council Recap: Public Money for Private Property

Source: City of Richardson.

The Richardson City Council met June 22, 2026. One of the topics reviewed was the "FY27 Matching Fund Beautification Project Requests". According to the city, citizens, businesses, civic groups, and HOAs may partner with COR to improve the landscape on public property. COR matches partner group funds 100%. COR maintains the landscape after project completion. Improvements often are made in parks, on medians, and at neighborhood entry points. So far, so good. So what was the City Manager asking City Council to provide direction on?

POTD: Kalyan Minaret

From 2025 09 19 Bukhara

Today's photo-of-the-day is of the Kalyan Minaret in Bukhara, Uzbekistan. The minaret was built in 1127. According to Wikipedia, "About a hundred years after its construction, legend has it that the tower so impressed Genghis Khan that he ordered it to be spared when all around was destroyed by his men." The Mongols likely spared it because its height made it an incredibly valuable watchtower. "It is also known as the Tower of Death, because until as recently as the early twentieth century criminals were executed by being thrown from the top."

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"Genghis spared the bricks.
Nine hundred years later on,
The story survives."
— h/t ChatGPT

POTD: A Living City on the Silk Road

From 2025 09 19 Bukhara

Today's photo-of-the-day was taken in central Bukhara, Uzbekistan. The domed bazaars are centuries old, yet vendors still sell goods beneath them. Covered markets provide shade. Thick masonry walls provide insulation from the sun. Narrow openings minimize direct sunlight. They are well adapted to a hot, dry, environment.

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"Ancient market domes,
Children crossing sunlit square.
Centuries see all.
— h/t ChatGPT

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: Another Industry Wrecked by Trump

2026-06-01: Another industry wrecked by Trump.
Alt National Park Service: "The U.S. just had its worst year for international tourism since the pandemic and it wasn’t even close. While the rest of the world broke records in 2025, America was the only country out of 184 to see a drop in foreign visitor spending."
bsky.app/profile/altnps.bsky.s...

Voicemails for Isabelle (2026)

Rotten Tomatoes

Voicemails for Isabelle (2026): Meet-cute rom-com. Mixup in phones leads to a man getting a stranger's voicemails. He falls for her, stalks her, and wins her heart. Implausible but watchable. B-

Netflix

Council Recap: 2036 Is Fast Approaching

Source: NTMWD.

The Richardson City Council met June 22, 2026, and heard a presentation by the North Texas Municipal Water District (NTMWD), which supplies all of Richardson's water. One particular exchange highlighted a question NTMWD did not answer.

POTD: Heart of Bukhara

From 2025 09 19 Bukhara

Today's photo-of-the-day was taken in the heart of Bukhara, Uzbekistan, where historic spaces formed by centuries of trade and daily life come together by the Lyab-i Hauz, a broad stone-edged pond shaded by trees.

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"Desert city rests,
Gathered around precious water
As it has for years."
— h/t ChatGPT

POTD: Food Truck in Bukhara

From 2025 09 19 Bukhara

Today's photo-of-the-day was taken in Bukhara, Uzbekistan. I don't know the story of this food truck. No one was minding it. I'm not going to make up a story. Instead, it's just an intriguing photo.

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"Someone left in haste,
More likely just stepped away.
The photo won't tell."
— h/t ChatGPT

Spider-Noir (TV 2026)

Rotten Tomatoes

Spider-Noir (TV 2026): Mashup of superhero and gum-shoe detective genres. A Spider-Man origin story, the result of an evil WWII medical experiment. Nicholas Cage is more victim than hero. The look and feel is as dark as the story. B-

Prime