The Choral (2025)

Rotten Tomatoes

The Choral (2025): WWI leads to recruitment of soldiers for the war and, in turn, replacements for a choral group in Yorkshire, England. Ralph Fiennes plays the new director, just returned from living in Germany, adding tension to the drama. Movie is worth watching just for the climactic concert. B-

Netflix

Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu (2026)

Rotten Tomatoes

Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu (2026): A quest with lots of battles. Adds nothing to the TV series, or the Star Wars universe as a whole. The masked Mandalorian character and his puppet apprentice are just too difficult to breathe life into. Overall, this feels like a money grab by Disney. C-

Disney+

Dan Barrios: His Own Man

Source: City of Richardson

On September 28, 2026, Daniel Burdette is expected to begin representing Richardson's Place 3 on the City Council, replacing Dan Barrios. I discussed whether this will make a difference in Richardson policy. I believe it will, although I couldn't find evidence for that notion in this term's voting history. I have more on Barrios's voting history in today's post.

POTD: Sanctuary of Our Lady of Remedies

From 2025 12 31 Porto, Lamego, Castelo Rodrigo

Today's photo-of-the-day is from the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Remedies in Lamego, Portugal. Our visit was on a foggy midwinter day that gave the site a particularly romantic cast. According to Wikipedia, "Popular devotion to the site dates back to a chapel, dedicated to Saint Stephen, erected in 1361. Over time, devotion to Saint Stephen diminished, replaced by devotion to the Virgin Mary. The devotion of those who turned to her seeking relief from illness, in turn, gave rise to devotion to Our Lady of Remedies. The current sanctuary was begun in 1750 and only completed in 1905."

---

"Fog veils the long stairs.
Winter softens every stone.
Mary waits above."
— h/t ChatGPT

POTD: Carrapatelo Lock

From 2025 12 31 Porto, Lamego, Castelo Rodrigo

Beginning our cruise up Portugal's Douro River, today's photo-of-the-day is from the Carrapatelo Lock. It is one of the deepest and highest river locks in Europe, featuring a large water level change of about 35 meters (115 feet).

---

"Deep within the lock
Portugal's river rises
To the upper Douro."
— h/t ChatGPT

Will Swapping Barrios for Burdette Make A Difference?

Source: ChatGPT, City of Richardson

Beginning September 28, 2026, Daniel Burdette will represent Richardson's Place 3 on the City Council, replacing Dan Barrios. Will that make a difference in city policy? Who's to say? As a test, I looked at votes in the 2025-2027 term (so far) to see what might have been different had Burdette been in that seat for the full term. That is, had Barrios resigned in 2025, perhaps getting replaced by Burdette as early as May 2025, what would be different in city policy today?

I looked for Council votes in which Barrios's vote was determinative: winning votes in which Barrios was one of four Ayes, or losing votes with only three Aye votes, in which Barrios voted Nay. There were five such votes.

Council Recap: Analysis of Daniel Burdette's Interview

Source: City of Richardson

On September 21, 2026, the Richardson City Council interviewed the three finalists for appointment to the vacant Place 3 position. Then, after about a half-hour in executive session, the Council returned to open session to name Daniel Burdette the lone finalist for appointment. The Council is scheduled to vote on the appointment at its September 28 meeting. The Council did not publicly provide the reasons for its choice. I asked ChatGPT to score their answers against a specific set of criteria that I defined with suggestions from ChatGPT. Based on ChatGPT's scoring, Daniel Burdette's interview received the fewest "Strong" ratings of the three. That result was consistent with my own impression of the interviews. So, I asked ChatGPT to report a textual analysis of the interview, identifying Burdette's strengths, weaknesses, and implications for appointment. I include that report verbatim here.

Council Recap: Scoring the Place 3 Applicant Interviews

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

On September 21, 2026, the Richardson City Council interviewed the three finalists for appointment to the vacant Place 3 position. Then, after about a half hour in executive session the Council returned to open session to name Daniel Burdette the lone finalist for appointment, which will be made at the September 28 meeting. What reasons did the Council give for its choice? They didn't say in public. That leaves the citizens to guess at their reasoning. As my impression of the interviews would not have led to me choosing Burdette, I started digging to see what I might have missed. My first exercise was to examine the seven questions asked of each applicant and score their answers. I didn't consider whether I agreed with their answers (yet), only how the answers measured up to a consistent set of criteria like Knowledge, Responsiveness, Clarity, Specificity, etc. To keep my own biases to a minimum, I asked ChatGPT to do the scoring. The scoring is systematic to the extent that I strove to keep from giving ChatGPT subjective scoring instructions.

In The Hand of Dante (2025)

Rotten Tomatoes

In The Hand of Dante (2025): An author with a Dante fixation gets drawn into a heist to steal an original manuscript by Dante. The movies moves back and forth from the present to 1300, with Oscar Isaac playing for the author and Dante, along with many stars playing cameos. Ambitious, artsy, but overall, empty. C-

Netflix

Council Recap: Good Questions Get Good Answers

Source: ChatGPT (mostly)

On August 24, 2026, the Richardson City Council interviewed eight applicants for the vacant Place 3 position on City Council. On September 14, they reduced the field to three finalists. Rather than primarily evaluate the applicants based on their answers, I'm going to focus on the questions the council members asked, in hopes of getting good questions asked September 21, when the three finalists will face the Council again for another round of questions.

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."

---

"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.

---

"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."

---

"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.

The Mayor Talks Utilities, Infrastructure & Public Works

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.

The Mayor Talks Business Climate & Permitting

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.

The Mayor Talks Resident Questions & Civic Participation

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.

The Mayor Talks Leadership Philosophy

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.

POTD: Fado

From 2025 12 27 Lisbon

Today's photo-of-the-day is from Adega Marchada, which according to Google, is a "nightspot dating back to 1937 for fado music & local dishes, filled with historic photos & art." It made for a great night out in Lisbon.

According to "Wikipedia, "Fado is a music genre which can be traced to the 1820s in Lisbon, Portugal, but probably has much earlier origins...Fado is commonly regarded as simply a form of song which can be about anything, but must follow a certain traditional structure. In popular belief, fado is a form of music characterized by mournful tunes and lyrics, often about the sea or the life of the poor, and infused with a sense of resignation, fate and melancholy."

---

"Songs of sea and loss.
Echo through the candlelight.
Lisbon after dark."
— h/t ChatGPT

POTD: Christmas in Lisbon

From 2025 12 27 Lisbon

Today's photo-of-the-day is from Praça do Comércio (Commerce Square) in Lisbon, Portugal. According to Wikipedia, it's "a large, harbour-facing plaza in Portugal's capital, Lisbon, and is one of the largest in Portugal, with an area of 175 by 175 m. Facing the Tagus river to the south, the square hosted Ribeira Palace, the King of Portugal's residence, until the latter was destroyed by the great 1755 Lisbon earthquake." (a tragedy that separates before and after in the city's history in many ways).

---

"Beneath winter stars
The great square faces the sea.
Christmas comes to Lisbon."
— h/t ChatGPT

The Mayor Talks Vision for Richardson

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.

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.

The Mayor Talks Policing, Public Safety & Governance

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.

The Mayor Talks FIFA, Community Events & Civic Engagement

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.