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| 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
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| 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
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| 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
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.
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...
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| 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."
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| 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.
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| 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
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Prime
#VeryTardyReview
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Netflix