The Wheel's Voters Guide (May, 2026)

Early voting for the 2026 local elections in Texas begins April 20. Election Day is Saturday, May 2. Richardson voters will find their ballots to be long — 50 City Charter amendments and 5 City bonds. Richardson ISD voters will have a choice of trustees for at-large Richardson ISD Place 6, and for RISD voters in single-member District 3, another choice for trustee. Use Vote411.org to see your personalized ballot and nonpartisan information about each ballot item. Here exclusively, read on to learn how to vote.

TRON: Ares (2025)

Rotten Tomatoes

TRON: Ares (2025): 1982's AI in a video game doesn't work in 2026. AI is so much different today. Here, the humanlike AI program escapes the digital world and is on the hunt in the real world. Plot is a mess. Characters are one-dimensional. I guess the CGI is good. C-

Disney+

Euan, Me & LSD

Euan, Me & ISD

Euan Blackman, candidate for Richardson ISD trustee, opposed the district's $750 million school bond election in 2021. Joining him in opposition was Lynn Strawn Davenport (LSD), herself a candidate for trustee in 2017. She lost. Despite their efforts, the district's voters passed the school bonds. In a 2022 article ("Forever InDEBTed"), LSD wrote, "My friend Euan Blackman and I have made the rounds speaking out against the big business of school bonds." In return, Blackman hosted LSD on his own podcast ("Euan, Me & ISD"), which went pretty much like you'd expect — a mutual admiration society meeting.

Monday Night Follies at City Hall

Néro the Assassin (TV 2025)

Rotten Tomatoes

Néro the Assassin (TV 2025): French. An assassin is on the run across 16th century France with his daughter who does not trust him. Everyone wants him dead—his employer, the church, a fanatical religious group, and maybe a deadly witch. Lots of myth-building with no clear lines between good and evil. Lots of violence. B-

Netflix

In Remembrance of Sydney J. Harris

Resemblance to real persons is strictly coincidental.

"I am a man of firm principles; you tend to be stubborn; he is pigheaded."

The lesson behind such I/you/he constructs is that we tend to choose words that flatter our side and diminish the other side. They remind us that our own perspective is not neutral. The same behavior, depending on our point of view, can be called thrift, penny-pinching, or greed. Or confidence, arrogance, or bullying.

POTD: Vuelva Pronto

From 2025 06 03 Oaxaca

The tourist bus says, "Traveling through Mexico is taking you towards adventure." As we leave one adventure waypoint, we are invited to "Come Back Soon" ("Vuelva Pronto"). This photo will serve as our last photo-of-the-day in Mexico, at least on this visit. Next stop: Uzbekistan.

A bonus photo is after the jump.

POTD: San Pablo Villa de Mitla

From 2025 06 03 Oaxaca

Today's photo-of-the-day was taken in the town of San Pablo Villa de Mitla in Oaxaca, Mexico. According to Wikipedia, "The main attraction is the ruins of the pre-Hispanic city of Mitla, which is best known for its buildings decorated with mosaics of small flat stones that fit together to create designs, especially fretwork." Of course, there's a Christian church built on the ruins.

Bonus photos are after the jump.

How to Get to Heaven from Belfast (TV 2026)

Rotten Tomatoes

How to Get to Heaven from Belfast (TV 2026): Mystery/Comedy. Three friends attend the funeral of a fourth friend from high school and begin to uncover unpleasant facts about the coverup of a crime they all were part of. The story is quirky, which is good, but way too convoluted, which is bad. Still, their interactions are hilarious. B-

Netflix

All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten

Robert Fulghum's 1986 best-seller distills life's biggest truths into simple, everyday behaviors that people are taught in kindergarten. These behaviors create the conditions that lay the groundwork for academic success (and success in life in general).

• Share and be kind
• Play fair
• Clean up your own mess
• Say you’re sorry
• Wash your hands (and take care of yourself)
• Live a balanced life
• Be aware of wonder
• Hold hands and stick together
• Keep learning
• Remember the basics still apply

Monday Night Follies at City Hall

Pizza Movie (2026)

Rotten Tomatoes

Pizza Movie (2026): It's a dumb movie about college life, hazing, friendship, and growing. Emphasis always on dumb. Redeeming feature: it's not raunchy, unless you consider fart jokes raunchy. If so, you won't last five minutes. D+

Hulu

Eric Eager's Cri de Coeur

The meeting of the board of trustees of Richardson ISD on April 2, 2026, focused on the district's upcoming 2026-2027 budget, specifically the plan for almost $26 million in budget cuts. Watch the board meeting video for details. Here I want to highlight one trustee's passionate appeal to Austin for more public school funding. Eric Eager is running for re-election. With this speech from his chair on the dais, he made a powerful argument why he should be re-elected. He may be a David fighting against the Goliaths in Austin, but he left no doubt that he's not yielding. He's rallying support for public education.

POTD: Espina Dorada Mezcal

From 2025 06 03 Oaxaca

Today's photo-of-the-day is of a mural on the wall of the Distileria Espina Mezcal, a traditional, artisanal Oaxacan mezcal brand produced by a family-run operation, known for its authentic, craft methods.

A bonus photo is after the jump.

POTD: El Árbol del Tule

From 2025 06 03 Oaxaca

Today's photo-of-the-day is of El Árbol del Tule, a Montezuma cypress in the church grounds in the town center of Santa María del Tule in the Mexican state of Oaxaca. Its trunk is reputedly the largest in the world, at an estimated diameter of 31 feet. Its age is estimated at 1,500 years.

---

"Silent giant stands
In the town's quiet center.
Time rooted in bark."
— 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: People are saying maybe the most successful election ever

2026-03-18: KERA News: "Dallas GOP kept Republican and Dem primary voters apart — Now it wants county-wide voting again."
GOP Chair: It was a successful election.
People are saying maybe the most successful ever. So successful let's never ever do that again.
keranews.org/news/2026-03-17/t...

Down Cemetery Road (TV 2025)

Rotten Tomatoes

Down Cemetery Road (TV 2025): A house explodes. A victim disappears from a hospital and a concerned neighbor investigates, uncovering a government conspiracy. Lots of dead bodies. What causes this show to rise above the ordinary is the tough, spiky-haired private investigator played by Emma Thompson. B+

AppleTV+

Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice (2026)

Rotten Tomatoes

Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice (2026): An action-comedy about gangsters, a single night full of parties, and I'm not kidding, a time machine. Despite the violence that accompanies every party, overall it's a fun ride. B-

Hulu

POTD: Art Gallery Mural

From 2025 06 03 Oaxaca

Today's photo-of-the-day was taken in central Oaxaca, Mexico. It shows a mural on the wall of Galeria de Arte Jesús Villafan. If this draws you into the gallery, you won't be disappointed by the artwork for sale inside.

---

"Bright paint on the wall.
Oaxaca's vibrant spirit.
Magic in the sun."
— h/t ChatGPT

POTD: Mercado Benito Juárez

From 2025 06 03 Oaxaca

Today's photo-of-the-day was taken in Mercado Benito Juárez, in Oaxaca, Mexico. Google describes it as a "bibrant covered marketplace with vendors selling produce, prepared foods, crafts & textiles." Some of those "prepared foods" are insects.

---

"Beneath the high roof,
Vendors call to passing crowds,
Life in every stall."
— h/t ChatGPT

Warning to City Council: Keep it Legal

Re: Legal risk of using executive sessions to fill a vacancy on city council

Yesterday, we covered the Richardson City Council's draft process for filling a vacancy on the city council ("Council Recap: Filling Vacancies"). I wrote, "I fear that if they come down on the side of taking their own deliberations behind closed doors, they run the risk of violating the Texas Open Meetings Act (TOMA)." That's so serious that I feel I ought to pull that risk out and give it a blog post of its own, because I believe the council may very well be getting ready to...BREAK THE LAW.

Council Recap: Filling Vacancies

The Richardson City Council met March 23, 2026. The main draw (for me) was the discussion about the process the city council will use to fill mid-term vacancies on the council. But, first, there were a couple of other agenda items that drew my scrutiny as well.

Monday Night Follies at City Hall

KPop Demon Hunters (2025)

Rotten Tomatoes

KPop Demon Hunters (2025): Animation. Girl bands, superheroes, boy bands, demons, all tied together with irresistable, infectious beats and lyrics. What's not to like? Other than the one note appeal I mean? C+

Netflix

Wonder Man (TV 2026)

Rotten Tomatoes

Wonder Man (TV 2026): Struggling actor gets an audition for a remake of Wonder Man, a chance for stardom, if he can hold his super temper in check. A Marvel superhero movie where the main character is three-dimensional and he's not trying to save the world, only himself. B+

Hulu

POTD: Monte Albán

From 2025 06 03 Oaxaca

Today's photo-of-the-day was taken in Monte Albán, near Oaxaca, Mexico. According to UNESCO, "Monte Albán is the most important archaeological site of the Valley of Oaxaca. Inhabited over a period of 1,500 years by a succession of peoples — Olmecs, Zapotecs and Mixtecs — the terraces, dams, canals, pyramids and artificial mounds of Monte Albán were literally carved out of the mountain and are the symbols of a sacred topography. The grand Zapotec capital flourished for thirteen centuries, from the year 500 B.C to 850 A.D."

Bonus photos are after the jump.

POTD: MULT Graffiti

From 2025 06 03 Oaxaca

Today's photo-of-the-day is of a random street in Oaxaca, Mexico. MULT is an abbreviation of Movimiento de Unificación y Lucha Triqui, an organization working for unification, human rights, and justice for the Triqui people of Oaxaca.

---

"In Oaxaca streets,
Triqui struggles paint the walls.
Hope marching mutely."
— h/t ChatGPT

Nuremberg (2025)

Rotten Tomatoes

Nuremberg (2025): Russell Crowe plays Hermann Göring on trial. Rami Malek plays the psychiatrist who interviews him in prison. Cat and mouse vibes, but who is the cat and who is the mouse? Mostly talk, little action. A good movie to learn history from. B-

Netflix

Ponies (TV 2026)

Rotten Tomatoes

Ponies (TV 2026): Moscow, 1977. Two secretaries in US Embassy get involved in spy work for CIA. Plot is implausible, but the chemistry between Emilia Clarke and Haley Lu Richardson makes every scene between them entertaining. B-

Peacock

Song Sung Blue (2025)

Rotten Tomatoes

Song Sung Blue (2025): Biopic, not of Neil Diamond, but of a 1990s tribute act. Perhaps because the movie condenses over a decade of their careers, the movie feels rushed. Hugh Jackman does fine work, as does Kate Hudson. Lots of love and respect for Neil Diamond. B-

Peacock

If I Had Legs I'd Kick You (2025)

Rotten Tomatoes

If I Had Legs I'd Kick You (2025): A woman is having a nervous breakdown and spirals downward as her troubles mount as movie wears on. Great one-note acting. Some view it as a black comedy. Try that, as otherwise it's just too bleak. B-

HBO Max

POTD: Oaxaca Street Art

From 2025 06 03 Oaxaca

Today's photo-of-the-day is of a random street in Oaxaca, Mexico. It's a colorful city. That is all.

POTD: Colorful Oaxaca

From 2025 06 03 Oaxaca

Today's photo-of-the-day is of a random street in Oaxaca, Mexico. It's a colorful city. That is all.

The Wheel Award for Excellence in Motion Pictures

Source: h/t DALL-E.

The Academy Awards will be given out Sunday, March 15, 2026. I've seen all the nominees for Best Picture. That means my opinion means something. Right? Regardless, I've ranked the movies in order of my preference for "Best Picture."

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science uses ranked choice voting (RCV) to ensure that the winner has broad support throughout the Academy members. I wish US political elections used something similar (see proportional voting). But that's for another post.

My personal ranked choice of the Oscar nominees is based on the grades I gave the movies immediately after seeing them. In case of ties, I ordered them by my judgment today. Note this is not my prediction of which movie will win but how I would vote, if I had a vote. (The bettors are picking "One Battle After Another". I think "Sinners" could win in an upset.)

The envelope please. The winner of "The Wheel Award for Excellence in Motion Pictures" goes to...

Council Recap: Droning on about Drones

The Richardson City Council met March 9, 2026, with a busy agenda. I'll focus on just one topic: drones.

The council reviewed Amazon's drone operations at its STX8 fulfillment center on Research Dr. near Richardson Methodist Hospital (remember that, it'll come up later). Concerns about noise, privacy, and drone safety were addressed, with Amazon committing to ongoing community engagement, but no specific improvements.

Monday Night Follies at City Hall

"I golf every weekend at Canyon Creek. Drones consistently fly over. We can still talk. We can still hold conversations."

Monday Night Follies at City Hall

A sky full of drones...delivery in under seven minutes and clean plates, too.

Blue Moon (2025)

Rotten Tomatoes

Blue Moon (2025): At the bar in NY's Sardi's, Lorenz Hart watches his former partner Richard Rodgers celebrate the opening of Oklahoma! Ethan Hawke is masterful portraying a musical genius in decline. With just one set, and one night, it feels like a stage play, one with little dramatic arc. B+

Netflix

Hamnet (2025)

Rotten Tomatoes

Hamnet (2025): It's not a Shakespeare biopic. Its fiction that uses Shakespeare to tell a story about parental grief. Grief hangs heavily over the whole movie. But eventually Chloé Zhao uses a Shakespearean tragedy to wring a few drops of catharsis out of tragedy. Heartbreaking. Brilliant. A-

Peacock

POTD: No Means No

From 2025 06 03 Oaxaca

Today's photo-of-the-day is of graffiti in Oaxaca, Mexico. I am not an expert on Mexican political movements, but when I see "8M" alongside phrases like "Fuimos todas," "No es no," and "Oaxaca feminicida," I think it signals that the graffiti is connected to the feminist mobilizations that take place annually in Mexico on International Womens Day, March 8 (shorthand: "8M"). The graffiti says the protests were large ("We all went"), they were against violence against women ("feminicida") and they signaled demands for justice, safety, and equality. I might be male, I might be American, but I'm feeling solidarity as I read this cry for justice in a foreign land.

P.S. Today is March 8 all over the world.

---

"Read the foreign words.
The meaning crosses borders.
Justice has no flag."
— h/t ChatGPT

POTD: Volcan La Malanche

From 2025 06 03 Oaxaca

Today's photo-of-the-day is of La Malinche volcano in Mexico, outside Puebla, if you can call any volcano "outside" a city if it presents this view to the neighborhoods at the foot of the mountain. I personally find it scary, but it's probably less likely that a resident of Puebla will die in a volcanic explosion in their lifetime than a resident of, say, Richardson, Texas, will die from a tornado. I wouldn't be reassured by Wikipedia calling it an "inactive" volcano. That plume of smoke suggests to me that could change at any time.

---

"They say 'inactive,'
yet smoke braids the morning air
as summit exhales."
— h/t ChatGPT

The Secret Agent (2025)

Rotten Tomatoes

The Secret Agent (2025): Portuguese. Political thriller set in Brazil in 1977 during the military dictatorship. Tension is already in the opening scene in a desert gas station, builds constantly but leisurely, until it's broken with violence in last few minutes. Too many characters to keep straight. B-

Hulu

Council Recap: Short-Term Rentals

The Richardson City Council met March 2, 2026, with two business items on the agenda. First, the council reviewed the city's regulations for short-term rentals (STRs).

Second, the council held the 2025 annual review of the police department. Given that courts have at multiple times ruled that ICE actions have been unlawful or unconstitutional, Richardson should be credited for not participating in those unlawful activities. In any case, there were no public speakers on the topic of the RPD annual review. Not anticipating any news, I didn't even attend that portion of the meeting. Consider that a win for the city. ;-) That leaves STRs for me to cover.

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: Washington Post Layoffs

2026-02-04: From NY Times: "Washington Post Begins Laying Off More Than 300 Journalists."
Two things.
1. My decision last year to cancel my Washingtpon Post subscription is aging well.
2. Why is it that bad news about a newspaper is never in the newspaper itself, but in a competitor's newspaper?

POTD: Lucha Libre

From 2025 06 01 Puebla

Today's photo-of-the-day was taken in Arena Puebla, a regular venue for Mexican-style wrestling, called Lucha Libre. The sport is known for its colorful masks, high-flying acrobatics, fast pace, and dramatic characters divided into heroes and villains. A packed house, with a mostly local audience, many dressed as their favorite fighters, shower the ring repeatedly with cheers and boos. You can't help but enjoy the spectacle.

Bonus photos are after the jump.

POTD: Courtyard of Museo Amparo

From 2025 06 01 Puebla

Today's photo-of-the-day was taken in the courtyard of Museo Amparo in Puebla, Mexico. "The Amparo Museum is considered one of Mexico's most important cultural and exhibition centers. It features galleries dedicated to its collection of pre-Hispanic art, one of the most significant in Mexico held by a private institution." I was won over by its beautiful courtyard.

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"Floor like cobalt sea,
Amber columns holding sky,
Courtyard a retreat."
— h/t ChatGPT

Council Recap: Rezoning for Apollo Middle School

The Richardson City Council met February 23, 2026. Two of the agenda items are worth covering: DART and the Apollo Middle School rezoning. The first was covered in yesterday's blog: "Council Recap: DART". Today we look at Apollo Middle School. In short, the RISD request was approved 7-0.

Council Recap: DART

The Richardson City Council met February 23, 2026. Two of the agenda items are worth covering: DART and the Apollo Middle School rezoning. Both went as expected. The council formally approved the proposed amended governance plan for DART. They also authorized the City Manager to execute an agreement with DART to allow for allocation of DART General Mobility Funds to Richardson. The council also approved the rezoning application by the Richardson ISD to transform Apollo Junior High School into Apollo Middle School.