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.

One Battle After Another (2025)

Rotten Tomatoes

One Battle After Another (2025): Former leftist terrorist (Leo DiCaprio) is hunted down by rightwing Col. Lockjaw (Sean Penn) after 15 years. Lots of explosions, gun fights, and car chases, but the broadly drawn characters keep it from being too serious. Lots of plot holes, but great acting makes it excel. A-

In theatres

Superman (2025)

Rotten Tomatoes

Superman (2025): An overstuffed, unfocused mishmash. Too many villains: Lex Luthor, several supervillains, and an Asian dictator. Too many characters from old comics with nothing to do: Perry White, Jimmy Olson, Ma and Pa Kent, Supergirl. Best thing about it is letting Lois Lane know who Clark Kent is and banter with him. C+

HBO Max

POTD: Quiet Spot on the Chao Phraya River

From 2025 03 13 Bangkok (1)

Today's photo-of-the-day was taken on the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok, the city's busy water thoroughfare. I don't know the man's story, nor the story of the place behind him. This sight was more typical in Bangkok's past. More commonly seen today on the busy Chao Phraya River are longboats speeding up and down the river, powered by modified automotive diesel motors connected to a long drive shaft and a propeller at the rear.

A bonus photo is after the jump.

POTD: Tourist Strikes Pose at Grand Palace

From 2025 03 13 Bangkok (1)

Today's photo-of-the-day is of a Western tourist striking a pose in front of the Grand Palace in Bangkok. I think it makes a good bookend for the photo of the young Buddhist monk snapping a photo in about the same place. Both photos, taken only moments apart, bring me joy.

---

"Royal palace gleams,
tourist stretches arms held wide,
snapshot of Bangkok."
— h/t ChatGPT

POTD: Monk Strikes Pose at Grand Palace

From 2025 03 13 Bangkok (1)

Today's photo-of-the-day is of a young Buddhist monk snapping a pic at the Grand Palace in Bangkok. I found it charming.

---

"Shining saffron robe,
snap of joy in sacred place,
peace caught in pixels."
— h/t ChatGPT

La Dolce Villa (2025)

Rotten Tomatoes

La Dolce Villa (2025): American father and daughter fix up a rundown Tuscan villa and find fullfillment and new purpose in life. The entire movie is revealed in dialog in the first 7 minutes and 40 seconds, then predictably plays out to its happy ending. Still, it was a welcome palate cleanser after "Black Rabbit." C+

Netflix

Transparency is Not Like Pregnancy

Transparency is not like pregnancy, where either you are or you aren't pregnant, and there are no in-between states. Transparency, like democracy itself, has an endless number of in-between states. No matter where a city government is on the spectrum, there is the opportunity to achieve greater transparency. No one should ever be satisfied with the status quo. It's important to celebrate whenever government takes small steps in the right direction. The Richardson City Council did just that October 6, 2025.

Black Rabbit (TV 2025)

Rotten Tomatoes

Black Rabbit (TV 2025): Jude Law plays the owner of a hot NY restaurant when his prodigal brother, played by Jason Bateman, returns from the West Coast and everything goes to shit. Did you think "The Bear" had a restaurant's intensity dialed up to 10? Black Rabbit needs a whole new dial. B+

Netflix

POTD: No I.C.E.

From 2025 03 13 Bangkok (1)

Today's photo-of-the-day is of a sticker posted to a light post in the grounds of the Grand Palace in Bangkok. I think it speaks for itself.

---

"Texas to Thailand,
Sticker's global defiance,
Under golden spires."
— h/t ChatGPT

POTD: Emerald Buddha

From 2025 03 13 Bangkok (1)

Today's photo-of-the-day is of the Emerald Buddha in Bangkok. According to Wikipedia, "Wat Phra Kaeu is regarded as the most sacred Buddhist temple in Thailand. The complex consists of a number of buildings within the precincts of the Grand Palace in the historical centre of Bangkok. It houses the statue of the Emerald Buddha, which is venerated as the country's palladium." I'm not too proud to admit that I had to look up the meaning of "palladium." It means "protective relic."

Whereas the nearby Reclining Buddha lives up to its hype (46 meters long really is looooong), the Emerald Buddha falls short, for two reasons. For one, it's only about 26 inches tall. And second, it's not made of emerald (beryl). It's made of a semi-precious stone, usually described as jade (nephrite) or jadeite, maybe even jasper, but testing has never been done to confirm its composition.

P.S. Cameras are not allowed inside the Temple of the Emerald Buddha. This photo was taken through the open front door. I don't think I broke any rules.

---

"Jade not emerald,
A green stone guards the kingdom.
Bangkok's beating heart."
— h/t ChatGPT

POTD: Bigfoot in Bangkok

From 2025 03 13 Bangkok (1)

Today's photo-of-the-day is of Bigfoot in Bangkok. Our last sighting of Bigfoot around the world was in Rome. Bigfoot in Bangkok outdoes that ancient Roman by a good stretch.

According to Google AI Overview, "The 'Temple of the Reclining Buddha' is Wat Pho, a prominent Buddhist temple complex in Bangkok, Thailand, known for its massive, 46-meter-long gold-plated Reclining Buddha statue. This colossal statue symbolizes the Buddha's passing into Nirvana."

---

"Between marble past,
and gilded still eternity,
giant seeks his peace."
—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 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: So Much for Registering New Citizens to Vote

2025-09-02: "Voter registration groups blocked from naturalization events"
-- NPR
So much for the non-partisan League of Women Voters decades-long partnership with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to register new citizens to vote at naturalization ceremonies.
npr.org/2025/09/02/nx-s1-55258...

POTD: Spanish Steps

From 2024 12 22 Rome

Today's photo-of-the-day is of the Spanish Steps in Rome. According to Wikipedia, "The monumental stairway of 135 steps is linked with the Trinità dei Monti church, under the patronage of the Bourbon kings of France, at the top of the steps and the Spanish Embassy to the Holy See in the Palazzo Monaldeschi at the bottom of the steps. The stairway was designed by the architects Francesco de Sanctis and Alessandro Specchi."

POTD: Italian Opera Experience on Christmas Day

From 2024 12 22 Rome

Today's photo-of-the-day is from the Ponte Sant'Angelo Methodist Church. On Christmas Day, this intimate church across the Tiber River from the Castel Sant'Angelo hosted an "Italian Opera Experience." It was a great way to close out our Christmas Day in Rome.

A bonus photo is after the jump.

POTD: The Roof of St. Peter's

From 2024 12 22 Rome

Today's photo-of-the-day is from the roof of St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City.

---

"At last the rooftop,
Michelangelo’s great crown,
Standing where he dreamed."
— h/t ChatGPT

Bosch - S01 (TV 2015)

Rotten Tomatoes

Bosch - S01 (TV 2015): Cop works a cold case involving a boy's bones and a case of a serial killer who seems to be teasing Bosch. Bosch might be uncorruptible, but the LAPD isn't. Seven seasons and a spinoff (Ballard) tell me it's time I finally watched this one. B+

Prime

#VeryTardyReview

The Decameron (TV 2024)

Rotten Tomatoes

The Decameron (TV 2024): A satire set in medieval Italy where nobles and servants quarantine themselves from the Black Death. Flippant, dark humor abounds. As the deaths from pestilence and violence mount, the dark humor turns more serious, if that makes sense. C+

Netflix

Highest 2 Lowest (2025)

Rotten Tomatoes

Highest 2 Lowest (2025): Spike Lee's latest homage to NYC, with Denzel Washington playing a music mogul whose son is kidnapped, setting off both professional and personal crises. When he takes the law into his own hands, he sets off obligatory and implausible chase scenes. B+

AppleTV+