Breathless (1960)

Rotten Tomatoes

Breathless (1960): French. Jean-Luc Godard's classic New Wave cinema. Story of a charming but self-destructive anti-hero and the independent young American woman who falls in with him. Godard makes his small budget work for him—jump cuts, hand-held cameras, shooting on the streets of Paris. A+

HBO Max

#VeryTardyReview

Jay Kelly (2025)

Rotten Tomatoes

Jay Kelly 2025): Aging movie star George Clooney plays an aging movie star who is beginning to question his life choices. He is estranged from his wife and daughters and agent and everyone in his life. This obvious fact comes as a revelation to him. Clooney is upstaged by Adam Sandler. B-

Netflix

Richardson Needs a Premier Development

Source: Dallas International District.

"At long last, development is coming: six stories/296 luxury apartments of approximately 2600 square feet, ground floor restaurant and retail."
— Candy's Dirt

No, we're not talking about downtown Richardson, where we're going to get the ho-hum, sticks-and-bricks, four-story apartments (Polk Street Residences) with the least amount of "retail ready" space possible that still allows the city to call it mixed-use.

We're also not talking about Richardson's future Arapaho DART Station redevelopment, where we're going to get...who knows what?

POTD: Karen Classroom in Chiang Rai

From 2025 03 22 Chiang Rai

Today's photo-of-the-day was taken in a classroom in the Karen ("Long Neck") village near Chiang Rai, Thailand. School wasn't in session, but these two girls were in attendance anyway.

Bonus photos are after the jump.

POTD: Long Neck Karen Village

From 2025 03 22 Chiang Rai

Today's photo-of-the-day was taken in the Karen ("Long Neck") village near Chiang Rai, Thailand. The Karen people are indigenous to Myanmar, but, according to Wikipedia, "Due to the ongoing insurgency, hundreds of thousands of Karen fled to refugee camps along the Thai-Burmese border...Approximately 400,000 Karen live in Thailand, where they are by far the largest of the hill tribes."

Bonus photos are after the jump.

Council Recap: Board and Commission Appointments

On December 1, 2025, following the regular council meeting ("Council Recap: 2026 Bond Money for Streets"), the Richardson City Council adjourned and moved to a small conference room in the back of city hall and opened a special called meeting out of the camera's reach. There's no official video record of this meeting.

I was present (at least until the special meeting went into executive session to discuss candidates for quasi-judicial boards). Mine might be the only eyewitness account of this meeting by the Richardson City Council. I could have video recorded the public part of the meeting. The public interest would be better served by making all such council meetings accessible to everyone, even those who can't make it to meetings in person.

Council Recap: 2026 Bond Money for Streets

The Richardson City Council met Monday, December 1, 2025. There were two agenda items that I want to discuss. Video of the full meeting is available, as usual, on the City's website.

Just kidding. The second agenda item I want to discuss was part of the council's special called meeting, held in a back room, and not recorded. But I found my way back there and will have a thing or two to say about that meeting in tomorrow's post.

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: Dick Cheney and Dubya

2025-11-04: BREAKING: Dick Cheney, one of the most powerful vice presidents in United States history, has died.
I guess now we'll find out, once and for all, whether George W Bush can speak.

POTD: Rong Suea Ten Temple (Blue Temple)

From 2025 03 22 Chiang Rai

Today's photo-of-the-day was taken at the Rong Suea Ten Temple (Blue Temple) in Chiang Rai in northern Thailand. According to Wikipedia, "Its final design was realized by Chiang Rai folk artist Mr. Phuttha Kabkaew. He gained skills and learned from Chalermchai Kositpipat while working on his famous Wat Rong Khun, just outside the city. Wat Rong Suea Ten's main building was completed on 22 January 2016. It took 11 years to complete the construction...It follows in the unconventional 'neo-traditional' style of Buddhist art pioneered by Chalermchai, employing lavishly ornamented sculptures and psychedelic visual imagery."

Bonus photos are after the jump.

POTD: Lunch in the Golden Triangle

From 2025 03 22 Chiang Rai

Today's photo-of-the-day was taken outside our lunch spot in the Golden Triangle of southeast Asia. According to Wikpedia, "The Golden Triangle is a large, mountainous region in northeastern Myanmar, Northern Thailand and northern Laos, centered on the confluence of the Ruak and Mekong rivers. The Golden Triangle has been one of the largest opium-producing areas of the world since the 1950s. Today, the Thai side of the river confluence, Sop Ruak, has become a tourist attraction with no opium cultivation."

Bonus photos are after the jump.

The Paper (TV 2025)

Rotten Tomatoes

The Paper (TV 2025): Spin-off to The Office, with the same mockumentary format. Instead of a Scranton paper company, it's set at a small Toledo newspaper. It's derivative, but just as good as the original. At least it's better than the last 5 or 6 seasons of The Office. B-

Peacock

Train Dreams (2025)

Rotten Tomatoes

Train Dreams (2025): Story of a logger's life in Idaho circa 1917. The story has love and loss, violence and tragedy, all told in a quiet, poignant way. All these things happen to Robert, but he is not the protaganist. He mostly just waits for a revelation that he'll never receive about what life is all about. B+

Netflix

The American Revolution (TV 2025)

Rotten Tomatoes

The American Revolution (TV 2025): Ken Burns has done it again, taking history we all thought we knew from elementary school and going deeper into it to reveal all of its complexity and contradictions. After six episodes and more than 12 hours, we're still the heroes, but our feet of clay are revealed as well. A+

How Plano Appoints a Committee

The Dallas Morning News.

This post isn't about upcoming elections in four cities to withdraw from DART. For that, see "DART Plays Chicken with Plano". No, this post is about how Plano is getting input from Plano's residents. According to The Dallas Morning News, "Plano is also forming a citizen's committee to look at the future of its regional transit. The Collin County Connects Committee will explore alternative transit options and providers, according to Plano's transit site. Each of Plano's eight City Council members will appoint one Plano resident to serve on the committee."

POTD: The Golden Triangle

From 2025 03 22 Chiang Rai

Today's photo-of-the-day was taken at the Golden Triangle of southeast Asia. According to Wikpedia, "The Golden Triangle is a large, mountainous region in northeastern Myanmar, Northern Thailand and northern Laos, centered on the confluence of the Ruak and Mekong rivers. The name "Golden Triangle" was coined by Marshall Green, a U.S. State Department official, in 1971 in a press conference on the opium trade. The Golden Triangle has been one of the largest opium-producing areas of the world since the 1950s. Most of the world's heroin came from the Golden Triangle until the early 21st century when opium production in Afghanistan increased. Myanmar was the world's second-largest source of opium after Afghanistan up to 2022, producing some 25% of the world's opium, forming part of the Golden Triangle. Today, the Thai side of the river confluence, Sop Ruak, has become a tourist attraction, with the House of Opium Museum, a Hall of Opium, a Golden Triangle Park, and no opium cultivation."

Bonus photos are after the jump.

POTD: Choui Fong Tea Plantation

From 2025 03 22 Chiang Rai

Today's photo-of-the-day was taken at the Choui Fong Tea Plantation in Chiang Rai in northern Thailand. It's a family-owned and operated tea producer founded in 1977.

Bonus photos are after the jump.

Generational Income, Wealth, and Home Ownership

When I read something that changes my mind, I sit up and take notice. In two recent posts on Facebook, I said I learned, contrary to my earlier beliefs, that younger generations in America are doing OK compared to older generations, at least as measured by income and wealth. I used the two graphs above as evidence.

Catch 22 (TV 2019)

Rotten Tomatoes

Catch 22 (TV 2019): Another adaptation of the classic 1961 satirical anti-war novel. This one succeeds in getting the tone right, balancing tragedy and comedy, with both highlighting the insanity of war. B+

Hulu

#VeryTardyReview

G20 (2025)

Rotten Tomatoes

G20 (2025): Terrorists attack a G20 summit and hold leaders hostage. The US President (Viola Davis) who has a military background, swings into action and kicks ass. Ohhhkay. And her teenage kids get to participate in saving the G20, so bring the family maybe? C-

Prime

The Fantastic 4: First Steps (2025)

Rotten Tomatoes

The Fantastic 4: First Steps (2025): Marvel movie that steals from lots of other superhero/space adventures of the last fifty years. Flat acting. The four just never gel. The core dilemma, whether to sacrifice your child to save the world, could be further developed. Best part of movie is the retro futuristic look. C-

Disney+

Frankenstein (2025)

Rotten Tomatoes

Frankenstein (2025): Guillermo del Toro's faithful adaptation of the Mary Shelley classic is visually stunning throughout. He emphasizes the father-son story more than the mad scientist story, with the creature being more victim than monster. B+

Netflix

POTD: Architecture Imitates Nature

From 2025 03 20 Sukhothai

Today's photo-of-the-day was taken at a temple complex in Sukhothai, Thailand, the ancient capital of the first Siamese kingdom in north-central Thailand. The kingdom expanded to its greatest extent during the reign of Ram Khamhaeng the Great (1279—1298).

A bonus photo is after the jump.

POTD: Monkey Mountain

From 2025 03 20 Sukhothai

Today's photo-of-the-day was taken at a roadside stop by Khao No (Monkey Mountain) in central Thailand. A roadside stop where hundreds of monkeys gather in hopes of getting a free meal from tourists who stop. For the physically fit (a category in which I no longer include myself), there's a steep trail with stairs and ladders to the top of the 300 meter mountain, which despite its modest height offers impressive views.

Bonus photos are after the jump.

Death by Lightning (TV 2025)

Rotten Tomatoes

Death by Lightning (TV 2025): A fast-moving true-crime story from 1880, the assassination of President James Garfield. Like looking at our own political times in a cracked mirror. The show gives equal attention to Garfield and his assassin, but history lovers should be interested in a third principal, the accidental president, Chester A. Arthur. A-

Netflix

Based on "Destiny of the Republic", reviewed by The Wheel in 2012.

Sinners (2025)

Rotten Tomatoes

Sinners (2025): A wildly ambitious and original take on vampire movies that bends the genre over backwards. In 1932, twin brothers come home from Chicago to open a juke joint in Mississippi. Their place plays the blues. The vampires play Irish folk music. See it (even if only for the music). A-

Max

It Starts with Beds

Source: "¡Que Onda! Magazine".

On October 27, 2025, the Richardson City Council reviewed and discussed the city's housing needs assessment and strategy. In two hours and fifteen minutes, the words "homeless" and "unhoused" were spoken exactly zero times.

The City of Houston shows how it should be done. It's an option that the City of Richardson needs to have on the table if it's serious about doing something about homelessness.

DART Plays Chicken with Plano

Plano, and Farmers Branch, Highland Park, and Irving have all called spring elections for their voters to decide whether to withdraw from DART. According to WFAA, Plano "has until 45 days before the election to call off the vote, and Mayor John Muns says he's hopeful they'll do just that after negotiating a better deal with DART. And the Mayor has an offer: Let us pay half a penny of every dollar collected through sales tax instead of the current full penny, and we’ll get rid of the buses, but keep the rail."

POTD: Ratbamrung School Assembly

From 2025 03 17 Central Thailand

Today's photo-of-the-day was taken at an assembly at Ratbamrung School north of Bangkok, Thailand. Our tour group stopped here to visit the school, where we were treated to a musical performance and where we donated school supplies. Kids are kids all over the world.

---

"North of Bangkok’s hum,
the schoolyard blooms with rhythm—
every grin a song."
h/t ChatGPT

POTD: Wat Chaiwatthanaram

From 2025 03 17 Central Thailand

Today's photo-of-the-day was taken at the Wat Chaiwatthanaram, a Buddhist temple in Ayutthaya north of Bangkok, Thailand. I could bore you with a bunch of photos of the old temple. Or hopefully catch your interest with a photo of a young woman who was visiting the site on the day we were.

Now the boring stuff. According to Wikipedia, "The temple was constructed in 1630 by the king, Prasat Thong, as the first temple of his reign, as a memorial of his mother's residence in that area. The temple's name literally means the Temple of long reign and glorious era. It was designed in Khmer style to gain Buddhist merit and as a memorial to his mother, however Prince Damrong believed it was built to celebrate Ayutthaya Kingdom's victory over Longvek."

A bonus photo of a tourist photobombing the temple is after the jump.

Council Recap: Unhoused Initiatives

"The only solution to homelessness is housing. Start from there and all the other issues of those living on the streets can be addressed."
— Christy Respress, Executive Director of Pathways to Housing DC.

On October 27, 2025, the Richardson City Council reviewed and discussed the city's housing needs assessment and strategy. In two hours and fifteen minutes, the words "homeless" and "unhoused" were spoken exactly zero times.

On November 3, 2025, the City Council reviewed and discussed the city's unhoused initiatives. In just under an hour of discussion, that previous meeting about the city's housing needs assessment was referenced exactly zero times. It was like homelessness and housing needs were two completely different problems. Some of us are living on the same planet but in different worlds.

The Recruit - S01 (TV 2022)

Rotten Tomatoes

The Recruit - S01 (TV 2022): A young, newly hired lawyer at the CIA finds himself in over his head in international espionage operations. Like if "The Office" were set at the CIA with some James Bond action tossed in. Not nearly as good as either of those, but a fun watch nevertheless. B-

Netflix

#VeryTardyReview

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024)

Rotten Tomatoes

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024): Silly horror movie sequel, more surreal than scary, which, under director Tim Burton, lives up the 1988 original. Our pick for 2025 Halloween. B-

Max

Council Recap: Housing Study

The City of Richardson has finished a housing needs assessment and housing gap analysis. The first of at least two City Council meetings devoted to reviewing the study was held October 27, 2025.

The meeting discussed strategies for affordable housing and missing middle housing in Richardson. Zoning changes would be required to build housing on land currently zoned commercial use. Other strategies included Housing Finance Corporations, Public Facility Corporations, Opportunity Zones, Community Land Trusts, Community Development Block Grants, and more, all of which offer different variations on tax breaks or other financial incentives for builders, owners, or the City itself. Using city-owned parcels for small, pilot projects is another option. The council debated the desired balance between market forces and subsidized housing, the availability of mixed-income and senior-friendly housing, and the importance of not concentrating poverty by integrating affordable housing into existing developments.

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 ten 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: "We're Under Invasion from Within"

2025-10-01: Trump: "We're under invasion from within."
Police: "Sir, we've traced the call. It's coming from inside the White House."

POTD: Return to Infinity

Today's photo-of-the-day is from the exhibit "Return to Infinity: Yayoi Kusama" at the Dallas Museum of Art. It's a re-installation of "Yayoi Kusama's 'All the Eternal Love I Have for the Pumpkins', an iteration of the artist's iconic Infinity Mirror Rooms incorporating one of the artist’s quintessential symbols, the pumpkin." I thought Halloween was an appropriate choice of day for this photo, although the artist's pumpkins are not jack-o-lanterns; just an infinity of pumpkins.

Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere (2025)

Rotten Tomatoes

Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere (2025): A dark portrayal of a dark period in Springsteen's life. If you enter wanting to rock, you'll leave disappointed. But those for whom Nebraska is your favorite Springsteen album, this movie is a great insight into creative genius. B+

In theatres

POTD: Clear-cutting Memorial Park

Google Streetview, February, 2024

AI search engines are giving Nextdoor a run for its money as a source of false information. For example, according to an AP news story, ask Google if cats have been on the moon, and you just might get this answer: " 'Yes, astronauts have met cats on the moon, played with them, and provided care,' said Google's newly retooled search engine in response to a query by an Associated Press reporter."

A Penny Here, a Penny There

Source: City of Richardson.

There is a quote attributed to former Senator Everett Dirksen (R-Illinois) about overspending by the federal government: "A billion here, a billion there, and pretty soon you're talking real money."

In north Texas, we talk about pennies, but it still adds up to real money — $54 million, in the case of the City of Richardson's sales tax revenue that is dedicated each year to DART public transit service. For Plano, it's over twice that. And that has led Plano, and some of the other thirteen member cities of DART, to consider withdrawing from DART, or at least threatening to, and saving that penny of sales tax for any other purpose they want to put it to. This is an outcome that Richardson, which, from its fortuitous location at the intersection of two major DART lines (the Red/Orange line and the brand new Silver line), does not want to see.

"I Go By Arefin."

Source: City of Richardson.

Mayor Amir Omar held a town hall meeting at the Coram Deo Academy on Thursday, October 23, 2025, where he and council member Arefin fielded questions from about 20 members of the public. Let's start our report of what happened with some housekeeping that occurred at the beginning of the meeting.

POTD: Wat Mahathat Buddha

From 2025 03 17 Central Thailand

Today's photo-of-the-day was taken at Wat Mahathat, the Temple of the Great Relic, a Buddhist temple in Ayutthaya, Thailand, north of Bangkok. Age and benign neglect resulted in this Buddha statue getting enveloped by tree roots, making me think of the patience of Zen meditation.

A bonus side view of the Buddha is after the jump.

POTD: Wat Mahathat Monks

From 2025 03 17 Central Thailand

Today's photo-of-the-day was taken at Wat Mahathat, the Temple of the Great Relic, a Buddhist temple in Ayutthaya, Thailand, north of Bangkok. The young monks, perhaps even without knowing it, recall a detail from the temple's origins.

According to Wikipedia, "The history of Wat Mahathat starts in 1374 when King Borommarachathirat I erected a temple at this place, bearing another name. ... His nephew and successor Ramesuan (1369-1370, 1388-1395) expanded the site in 1384 to build a great temple, while he was here as a monk between his throne offices. During this time the temple got its present name."

---

"Young monks in saffron,
walking where kings once knelt down —
Centuries converse."
— h/t ChatGPT

House of Guinness (TV 2025)

Rotten Tomatoes

House of Guinness (TV 2025): A dark, fictionalized account of the Guinness family business in the 1860s, as they deal with sibling rivalry, scandal, Irish politics, and expansion of the family business to America. After learning the characters' personalities and flaws, the show grows on you. B+

Netflix

Council Recap: Institutional Jealousy

Institutional jealousy: a situation where one organization competes with another because of perceived threats to its status, authority, resources, or reputation.

The Wheel's November 2025 Voters Guide

Early voting is open. Election Day is Tuesday, November 4. If you live in Richardson, your ballot will have 17 Texas constitutional amendments on it, and if you also live in the Richardson ISD, it will have three RISD bond propositions for you to vote for.

In general, Texas constitutional amendments serve one of two purposes. Either they are giveaways to the rich (ask yourself if Scrooge McDuck would be for them or not), or they are panders to the GOP base. They are placed on the ballot by the legislature, which is in the firm control of business interests and/or the far right of the GOP. (Just last week, the Texas GOP voted to censure five of its own members in the Texas House for being insufficiently conservative. These included north Texas representatives Angie Chen Button, Jeff Leach, Morgan Meyer, and Jared Patterson!) Still, there are some amendments I find to be reasonable. To find out which, read on. Also, at the end, I'll have something to say about those RISD propositions.

POTD: Bang Pa-In Royal Palace

From 2025 03 17 Central Thailand

Today's photo-of-the-day was taken at the gardens of the Summer Palace north of Bangkok on the Chao Phraya River. According to Wikipedia, "King Prasat Thong constructed the original complex in 1632, but it fell into disuse and became overgrown in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, until King Mongkut began to restore the site in the mid-19th century. Most of the present buildings were constructed between 1872 and 1889 by King Chulalongkorn."

A bonus photo is after the jump.

POTD: The Death Railway

From 2025 03 17 Central Thailand

Today's photo-of-the-day was taken at Hellfire Pass on the so-called Death Railway, a railroad built to connect Thailand with Burma during WWII, using POWs as forced labor. I learned of the railway, as many did, from the 1957 Oscar Best Picture, "The Bridge on the River Kwai." There is still a museum and memorial to the men who were worked to death in service of the Japanese Empire's war effort.

According to Wikipedia, "More than 250,000 Southeast Asian civilians and 12,000 Allied soldiers built the railway line, including Hellfire Pass. The pass is noted for the harsh conditions and heavy loss of life suffered by its labourers during construction. It was called Hellfire Pass because the sight of emaciated prisoners labouring by burning torchlight resembled a scene from Hell."

A bonus photo is after the jump.

POTD: Bangkok Floating Market

From 2025 03 17 Central Thailand

Today's photo-of-the-day was taken on one of the canals of Bangkok, the city once called the Venice of the East. Today, the city is paved with highways and has some of the worst traffic in the world, but there are still a few places where the old way that commerce was conducted in Bangkok can still be seen. The Damnoen Saduak Floating Market is one such place.

A bonus photo is after the jump.