POTD: Porto, Portugal

From 2025 12 31 Porto, Lamego, Castelo Rodrigo

Today's photo-of-the-day is from Porto, Portugal. Porto is the second largest city of Portugal, after Lisbon, with a population of its metropolitan area of 1.9 million. According to Wikipedia, "On the Douro River estuary in northern Portugal, Porto is one of the oldest European centers, and its core was named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1996...Port wine, one of Portugal's most famous exports, is named after Porto, as the metropolitan area, and in particular the cellars of Vila Nova de Gaia, were responsible for the packaging, transport, and export of fortified wine."

Porto by day. Click for a photo of Porto by night.

POTD: Nazaré, Portugal

From 2025 12 28 Pena, Cascais, Óbidos, Nazaré

Today's photo-of-the-day is from Nazaré, Portugal. According to Wikipedia, "Nazaré is one of the most popular seaside resorts in the Silver Coast (Costa de Prata). It is famous for its huge waves and surfing competitions. As of 2026, the record for the tallest wave ever surfed stands at a wave measured at 26.2 m (86 ft) at Nazaré in 2020."

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"Ancient fishing town
Now the world's great wave arena,
The ocean excels."
— h/t ChatGPT

Per Aspera Ad Astra (2026)

Rotten Tomatoes

Per Aspera Ad Astra (2026): China. Sci-fi. A long interstellar mission that relies on stimulated dreams during hibernation gets hijacked. The heroes have to enter others' chaotic dreams to regain control. Lots of surreal action and imagery, but the plot is tired. C+

Netflix

Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness (TV 2026)

Rotten Tomatoes

Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness (TV 2026): Sketch comedy starring Larry David playing roles in American history. More comedy than satire, and the comedy wears thin quickly. If you're a fan of Larry David's trademark kvetching, this is for you. C+

HBO Max

Widow's Bay (TV 2026)

Rotten Tomatoes

Widow's Bay (TV 2026): Matthew Rhys plays the mayor of an island in New England who wants to grow tourism but is stymied by his island being haunted. A comedy/horror mashup that features a different horror trope each episode. It strikes the right balance to succeed at both. B+

AppleTV+

Council Recap: And Then There were Three

L to R: Jordan Noret, Jeff Davis, Daniel Burdette.

The Richardson City Council deliberated in executive session September 14, 2026, to winnow down the eight remaining applicants for the Place 3 position on the City Council, soon to be vacant because of the resignation of Council Member Dan Barrios. After just 12 minutes of deliberation, the Council returned to open session to name the three finalists, who are, in alphabetical order: Daniel Burdette, Jeff Davis, and Jordan Noret.

The Council will subject these three to a second round of interviews September 21, after which they will name a lone finalist.

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"Eight sought council seat.
Three remained when doors opened.
One will claim the prize."
—h/t ChatGPT

Mystery Solved? Why Good Words Go Bad

Source: The Atlantic .

As far back as 2010, I wrote about being surprised to find that "tolerance" had become a dirty word in American political discourse ("Tolerance Is Not A Four-Letter Word"). Over time, I noticed that other seemingly innocuous words had become controversial, too (this from 2017: "Now Kindness is a Dirty Word, Too"). What was going on, I wondered. Recently, I read the best analysis of what was behind it all. It's in an article in the July, 2026, issue of "The Atlantic" by a deputy executive editor, Yoni Applebaum ("How America Gave Up on its own History").

POTD: Óbidos, Portugal

From 2025 12 28 Pena, Cascais, Óbidos, Nazaré

Today's photo-of-the-day shows Óbidos, Portugal, decorated for Christmas. Its history goes back to the Romans, Visigoths, and Moors. According to Wikipedia, "Óbidos is located on a hilltop, encircled by a fortified wall. Óbidos remains a well-preserved example of medieval architecture; its streets, squares, walls and its castle are popular tourist destinations." According to a Portuguese tourism guide, "The best way to end your trip to Óbidos is with a shot of 'ginja de Óbidos,' or 'ginjinha'. This cherry liqueur is a famous local drink, and is often served in a chocolate cup. It originated with 17th-century monks from the region, who combined Morello cherries and brandy, and drank it as an aperitif or after dinner. Today, any time is a good time to try the dark red drink, as many visitors to Óbidos do."

Bonus photo after the jump.

POTD: National Palace of Pena

From 2025 12 28 Pena, Cascais, Óbidos, Nazaré

Today's photo-of-the-day is of the National Palace of Pena in Portugal. According to Wikipedia, "The Pena Palace is a Romanticist palace in São Pedro de Penaferrim, in the municipality of Sintra, on the Portuguese Riviera. The castle stands on the top of a hill in the Sintra Mountains above the town of Sintra, and on a clear day it can be easily seen from Lisbon and much of its metropolitan area. It is a national monument and constitutes one of the major expressions of 19th-century Romanticism in the world. The palace is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the Seven Wonders of Portugal. It is also used for state occasions by the President of the Portuguese Republic and other government officials."

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"Upon a green hill
Gothic, Moorish, Renaissance
Join beneath the sky."
— h/t ChatGPT

The Mayor Talks Miscellaneous Questions & Local Issues

Richardson Mayor Amir Omar held a town hall meeting at Communion Coworking & Event Venue on August 5, 2026. He answered a lot of questions in two hours. I'm extracting topics, one at a time. Below is ChatGPT's summary of the mayor's town hall remarks on one topic.