MurderBot (TV 2025)

Rotten Tomatoes

MurderBot (TV 2025): A security robot on a scientific mission to another planet hacks its own "governor module" and gains free will. He doesn't have anything interesting to say. Everything he knows about being human comes from downloading a soap opera, "Sanctuary Moon." C+

AppleTV+

Book Review: The Silk Roads

From The Silk Roads: A New History of the World, by Peter Frankopan:

Amazon

"These tremors were carried along a network that fans out in every direction, routes along which pilgrims and warriors, nomads and merchants have travelled, goods and produce have been bought and sold, and ideas exchanged, adapted and refined. They have carried not only prosperity, but also death and violence, disease and disaster. In the late nineteenth century, this sprawling web of connections was given a name by an eminent German geologist, Ferdinand von Richthofen (uncle of the First World War flying ace the 'Red Baron') that has stuck ever since: 'Seidenstraßen'—the Silk Roads."

POTD: Piazza San Marco

"Acqua Alta comes.
Tourists tiptoe through water,
leaving small ripples."

— h/t ChatGPT

From 2024 09 11 Venice

Today's photo-of-the-day is from Venice, Italy. It shows the central square, Piazza San Marco. In yesterday's POTD, I described the city as "Venice floating low," referring to the city's penchant for flooding. The Piazza San Marco is not meant to be submerged, but it often is, due to climate change, high tides and sinking land. The day we were there started with one small puddle (small in relation to the huge size of the square). But during the afternoon, it had grown to fill most of the square. That's not good for the city. That's not good for tourism. But it is good for capturing photos like this.

A bonus photo is after the jump.

POTD: Venice by Sea

"Venice floating low.
An old painting comes to life,
aged and elegant."
— h/t ChatGPT

From 2024 09 11 Venice

Today's photo-of-the-day is from Venice, Italy, a city "built on a group of 118 islands that are separated by expanses of open water and by canals; portions of the city are linked by 438 bridges." This photo shows San Giorgio Maggiore. It's one of the first views most people have gotten of Venice for centuries, arriving by sea.

POTD: River Scenes in Ljubljana

"Tour boats glide softly,
beneath cafés and willows,
boys balance with joy."

— h/t ChatGPT

From 2024 09 10 Ljubljana

Today's photo-of-the-day is from Ljubljana, Slovenia. It shows river scenes in the heart of the country's capital city. Needless to say, I love how Ljubljana's downtown features its river.

Bonus photos are after the jump.

Heads of State (2025)

Rotten Tomatoes

Heads of State (2025): The US President (John Cena) and UK Prime Minister (Idris Elba) turn action heroes in order to thward a plot to destroy the NATO alliance. Cena and Elba lack chemistry. The plot lacks plausibility. The humor mostly fails to land. The action scenes lack originality. Meh. C+

Prime

Charter Changes One Step Closer to Voters

Artist: John Trumbull.

On July 14, 2025, the Richardson City Council held a worksession where they reviewed draft language for amendments to the City Charter. That language would be placed on the ballot in the November election for the citizens of Richardson to approve or reject.

The Charter Review Commission recommended 48 amendments. Of those only four contain substantive changes. A fifth contains a requirement that the city have an ordinance setting out a Code of Ethics. That is substantive, but because the City already has a Code of Ethics, nothing will need to change. It does prohibit any future City Council from repealing the Code, and for that it is important, maybe the most important amendment, as it emphasizes the importance of a Code of Ethics to the people of Richardson. All of the other amendments are minor changes to clarify the language or to use consistent language in different parts of the charter. The council deliberated on the four substantive amendments and reached a consensus on the direction they'd like to see the City Manager take on the final draft wording of the propositions.

On July 28 a final draft of the amendments will be presented to the council for their approval. Then, on August 11, an ordinance calling an election in November, 2025, will be presented for council's approval.

Adolescence (TV 2025)

Rotten Tomatoes

Adolescence (TV 2025): 13 year-old boy is charged with murdering a female classmate. He denies doing it, but there's video evidence. Each episode is shot in a long single take, increasing the story's own inherent tension. It's technically brilliant and the acting is superb. A+

Netflix

Book Review: Wild Chocolate

From Wild Chocolate, by Rowan Jacobsen:

Amazon

"Cacao is ridiculously rich. Coffee beans have about 12 percent fat. Whipping cream has 35 percent. Cacao beans have 55 percent, and these Criollo beans top out around 60. They are butter bombs. That makes them extra delicious, and it also helps the chocolate to defy gravity in the right hands."

POTD: Stacked Boxes

"Containers at rest.
Order pressed against the sky.
Stacked intentions wait."
— h/t ChatGPT

From 2024 09 10 Ljubljana

Today's photo-of-the-day is from Ljubljana, Slovenia. It shows stacked shipping containers at the port where our cruise ship docked. No story here, just a captivating image of geometric regularity imposed by humans on a natural landscape.