Ever Rising Water Bills

Source: North Texas Municipal Water District.

On August 28, 2025, the Richardson City Council reviewed the proposed 2025-2026 budget. One subject frequently came up: our ever-rising water bills.

Budget Talk by the Council

Source: City of Richardson.

On August 18, 2025, the Richardson City Council reviewed the proposed 2025-2026 budget. You can watch the whole thing on the city's website. Or you can read a comprehensive account of it or watch an AI video summary on Justin Neth's Substack. Here I'm only going to focus on a few quotes that stood out for me.

Bottom line: The total proposed FY 2025-2026 budget is $418,498,270, an increase of $12,419,51 or 3.1% from FY 2024-2025. The typical taxpayer impact will be an increase of $237/year in taxes and fees paid to the city.

POTD: Tourists Photobomb the Colosseum

From 2024 12 22 Rome

Today's photo-of-the-day is of tourists posing in front of the most photographed ruin the world — the Colosseum in Rome. I don't usually fill these pages with snapshots of tourists posing in front of tourist attractions, but it's important to me this time. You never know when it might be your last such photo.

Two bonus photos are after the jump.

POTD: Three Views of the Colosseum

From 2024 12 22 Rome

Today's photo-of-the-day is of the Colosseum in Rome. According to Wikipedia, "It is the largest ancient amphitheatre ever built, and is still the largest standing amphitheatre in the world, despite its age. Construction began under the Emperor Vespasian (r. 69-79 AD) in AD 72 and was completed in AD 80 under his successor and heir, Titus (r. 79-81)." The Arch of Titus is near the Colosseum. So, two of the most memorable buildings in ancient Rome today are connected to the emperor Titus, whose reign lasted only two years.

Two bonus photos are after the jump.

POTD: Arch of Titus

From 2024 12 22 Rome

Today's photo-of-the-day is of the Arch of Titus in Rome. I've seen photos of this arch in travel books and history books my whole life, but I've never learned its own history. It's a history that reverberates down to today's headlines.

More text and a bonus photo are after the jump.

Exterritorial (2025)

Rotten Tomatoes

Exterritorial (2025): German. Mildly entertaining action thriller. Ex-soldier with PTSD hunts for her young son who vanishes inside a US consulate where the whole movie takes place. The plot is full of convenient occurrences and unexplained elements. C+

Netflix

Book Review: South of the Border, West of the Sun

From South of the Border, West of the Sun, by Haruki Murakami:

Amazon

"We were, the two of us, still fragmentary beings, just beginning to sense the presence of an unexpected, to-be-acquired reality that would fill us and make us whole. We stood before a door we’d never seen before. The two of us alone, beneath a faintly flickering light, our hands tightly clasped together for a fleeting ten seconds of time."

Black Sails S01 (TV 2014)

Rotten Tomatoes

Black Sails S01 (TV 2014): A prequel to Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson, with pirates, prostitutes, Spanish treasure, and sea battles. It took me a few episodes to figure out all the characters. There's more gratuitous sex and violence than in the books. C+

Netflix

#VeryTardyReview

What Did We Learn from a Rare Vote by the City Council?

Source: Nay Café by Google Street View.

The Richardson City Council voted unanimously on August 11, 2025, to deny a request for a special use permit for a smoking establishment for an outdoor patio in conjunction with a restaurant.

POTD: View of Roman Forum from Palatine Hill

"Forum far below,
Empire sprawls in ruined grace
'neath Palatine Hill."

— h/t ChatGPT

From 2024 12 22 Rome

Today's photo-of-the-day is of the Roman Forum from the Palatine Hill. The Palatine Hill, "relative to the seven hills of Rome is the centremost, one of the most ancient parts of the city; it has been called 'the first nucleus of the Roman Empire.' Imperial palaces were built there, starting with Augustus."

A bonus photo (by Dessy) of Ellen and me on the Palatine Hill is after the jump.