POTD: Last Look at Puno

From 2019 08 23 Puno

Today's photo-of-the-day is from Puno, Peru. It shows the city climbing the hillside on the shore of Lake Titicaca.

After the jump, a view from the city of our hotel across a bay of Lake Titicaca. It's the white building all by itself on the shore. I now claim that is an example of prudent social distancing, not inappropriate classism.

Glitter

Do you know how glitter can be annoyingly hard to get rid of? Attend a wedding where glitter is thrown on the bride and you'll be finding glitter yourself, in your hair, in your clothes, in your carpet at home far from the church. It doesn't matter if you weren't in the wedding party and weren't throwing the glitter yourself. If you attend the wedding, chances are that you will go home with glitter. That's how I like to think viruses behave. They just aren't as visible as glitter. Treat social distancing like you don't want to go home with glitter.

Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot (2018)

Rotten Tomatoes

Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot (2018): Alcoholic hits rock bottom when he's paralyzed in a drunken crash. Movie shows his climb back up, thanks to his sponsor at AA, Lao-Tzu, and cartooning. Joaquin Phoenix in another unforgettable role. Jonah Hill's best work. B-

"Stakeholders" Over Residents, Part 411

My Facebook feed is usually an endless scroll of coyote and bobcat sightings ("Bring your pets inside!"), loose dogs ("Does anyone recognize this cutie?"), strange sounds ("Was that a gunshot?), traffic enforcement ("A black SUV just ran a stop sign!"), and, especially recently, shopping advice ("Does anyone know where to find toilet paper?").

But today was different. It's a personal appeal that shows that in a time of uncontrolled pandemic, daily life struggles go on. In this case, a tenant's fight with a landlord. This might be a warning sign of a larger issue in Richardson. Main Street in historic downtown is being repaved by the city, in part a gift to a major private redevelopment there scheduled to break ground this summer (Gateway to Core Richardson).

"Richardson lacks a walkable district where people can spend hours and be entertained," said Manasseh Durkin, president of Durkin Properties, one of several private partners in the effort to revitalize Main. "Our hope is that the Core District fills that void."

Source: Community Impact.

You know what "revitalization" has usually meant elsewhere. The people there already have to go. They have to make way for progress. That brings us to today's story from two blocks east of the renewal, where the evictions are apparently underway, by hook or by crook.

POTD: Little Llamas

From 2019 08 23 Puno

Today's photo-of-the-day is from Umayo Lake near Puno, Peru. This time, the attraction is little llamas. And, of course, the obligatory woman's hat. Women of Peru have the world's best hats.

Bonus photo after the jump.

POTD: Umayo Lake

From 2019 08 23 Puno

Today's photo-of-the-day is of Umayo Lake near Puno, Peru. Umayo is an impressive sized lake by itself, but it's nowhere near the size of nearby Lake Titicaca, so no one knows anything about it. The vantage point for the photo was the pre-Inca Sillustani cemetery. What a view for eternity.

Peterloo (2019)

Rotten Tomatoes

Peterloo (2019): Cavalry massacre of a peaceful crowd petitioning for the right to vote in Manchester in 1819. Lots of speeches and too little character development, but sets and costumes and cinematography are great. Its story is important. Voting rights is our fight today. B-

POTD: Sillustani Chullpas

From 2019 08 18 Sacred Valley, Peru

Today's photo-of-the-day is from Sillustani, a pre-Incan cemetery on the shores of Lake Umayo near Puno, Peru. The tombs are built above ground in tower-like structures called chullpas.

Bonus photos after the jump.

POTD: Sillustani Rowboats

From 2019 08 18 Sacred Valley, Peru

Today's photo-of-the-day is from Sillustani, a pre-Incan cemetery on the shores of Lake Umayo near Puno, Peru. More photos to come of the cemetery itself. This first photo is not that. It's only a pretty picture of rowboats.

POTD: Llama, Llama, Twice a Llama

From 2019 08 23 Puno

Today's photo-of-the-day is from the countryside around Puno, Peru. It's a herd of llamas, of course. As our time in Peru is winding down, it's time to sing that Llama Song one more time.

Bonus photo after the jump.

POTD: Birds Eye View of Puno

From 2019 08 23 Puno

Today's photo-of-the-day is from the main road descending into Puno, Peru, the largest city on Lake Titicaca (out of sight to the left). At 12,500 feet, it is the highest city in Peru and one of the highest in the world. It may not be much to look at from this vantage, but it's still a great place to visit.

After the jump, the bird itself.

Emma. (2020)

Rotten Tomatoes

Emma. (2020): Young matchmaker for clueless aristocrats thinks it's all fun until hearts start breaking. Stoic looks, penetrating gazes, private smiles, and hidden meanings. Who would guess a 200 year old Jane Austen novel would be the source for the year's best rom-com? B+

POTD: Mother and Child and the Cathedral de Puno

From 2019 08 23 Puno

Today's photo-of-the-day is from the Cathedral de Puno in Peru

Bonus closeup photo after the jump.

POTD: Puno Woman

From 2019 08 23 Puno

Today's photo-of-the-day is from Puno, Peru. Like I've said before, the women of Peru have the best hats in the world.

Enterprise City vs Pre-K

It's old news by now, but a few weeks ago, word leaked to the Canyon Creek community that the Richardson ISD was thinking about doing something to Enterprise City — eliminating it, moving it, updating it — something. And you know how it works — any change is usually received by the community as bad news. The rumor mill said that as RISD expands its Pre-K offering, it's looking to use the space currently devoted to Enterprise City at Canyon Creek Elementary School. Pre-K vs Enterprise City. Letting the story be framed that way was an own goal by RISD.

POTD: Puno Street

From 2019 08 23 Puno

Today's photo-of-the-day is from Puno, Peru. Its downtown is pleasantly walkable. Perfect for popping in for roasted guinea pig. We chose the next item down on the menu: pizza.

Bonus photos after the jump.

We Are AYA

Barista and Freelance Actor, Age 24

"The Association of Young Americans represents you. It’s time we take a seat at the decision table."

The Baby Boomers were young once. They marched in the streets...for an end to the war, for civil rights, for women's rights, for the environment. They're old now and no longer marching (mostly). Sigh. But reportedly, young Americans still exist.

Apparently, they now start lobbying groups for baristas and freelance actors with slogans like, "Fight for your future and save money." You see, when AYA isn't lobbying, it's saving you money. "Because we know that life is expensive for young people, we’ve negotiated exclusive discounts on products and services that might make things a little easier."

I double checked. This is not from The Onion.

POTD: Selfie with the Tourist

From 2019 08 23 Puno

Today's photo-of-the-day is from Lake Titicaca, Peru. It shows two local children demonstrating excellent selfie-taking proficiency with an unidentified tourist.

POTD: Reed Boats of Lake Titicaca

From 2019 08 23 Puno

Today's photo-of-the-day is from Lake Titicaca. The indigenous people of the Uros islands get around the lake on totora reed boats. Or they used to. They certainly ferry the tourists around on them today. I can't say how much of their own travel is still by reed boat as opposed to the aluminum rowboat, some with outboard motors.

Bonus photos after the jump.

POTD: Sewing on the Uros Islands

From 2019 08 23 Puno

Today's photo-of-the-day is from a floating Uros island on Lake Titicaca, Peru. Besides showing off the handicrafts that the islanders sell to tourists, the photo also shows off some more mighty fan hats worn by the women in Peru.

Bonus photos after the jump.

The Souvenir (2019)

Rotten Tomatoes

The Souvenir (2019): Student filmmaker and her sketchy boyfriend. He exploits her and she apologizes too much. Instead, run away! Movie has an arty look and feel. Lots of long takes with mirrors and windows and reflections. See the movie poster. It all feels pretentious. C-

POTD: Uros Islands of Lake Titicaca

From 2019 08 23 Puno

Today's photo-of-the-day is from Lake Titicaca, Peru, the 120 mile long lake at an altitude of 12,500 feet. Specifically, the floating Uros Islands on that lake. For reasons that are lost to history, the people of Uros cut the tatora reeds that grow in the lake and bind them into bales that they lash together into huge mats that form the floating islands that they live on.

Bonus photo after the jump.

Random Thoughts: Parasite's Oscar is Deserved

Tweets from February, 2020:

• 2020-02-10: Parasite's Oscar is deserved, but it's going to set a lot of people up for disappointment. People who now go see it for first time and come away thinking, "OK it's good, but it doesn't live up to the hype." It's rare for any movie to live up to the hype of winning "Best Picture."
• 2020-02-12: Expect Trump to lose interest in Hunter Biden after New Hampshire results.
• 2020-02-14: Men Without Women: Stories: Collection by magical realism author Haruki Murakami. Only this collection, with one exception, is mostly based in realism. Tales of men and women, men with women, and in a deeper way, the impact on men being without women. B-
• 2020-02-15: Richardson Eagles knock off #1 Duncanville in overtime. #txhshoops

After the jump, more random thoughts.

Green Shoots for "Tree the Town"

Amir Omar, former city council member and force behind "Tree the Town", hosted a small event Saturday designed to bring together interested individuals to update them on a new tree-planting initiative and brainstorm ways to involve the community.

For a profile of Amir Omar and "Tree the Town", see the recent feature article by Lauren Decker in Richardson Living magazine, "T3: New Life With Deep Roots". For some of the history, see the archives of "The Wheel". Going forward, follow what the new initiative is up to and hopefully get involved yourself by following the Facebook page "Tree the Town".

After the jump, more about "Tree the Town."

POTD: Lake Titicaca

From 2019 08 23 Puno

Today's photo-of-the-day is from Puno, Peru on Lake Titicaca. All I've known about Lake Titicaca, and I've known this since childhood, is that it has a great name (one that inevitably draws snickers from adolescent boys) and that it's the world's highest navigable body of water. I now know that its altitude is 12,500 feet, the lake is huge and I've seen just a small corner of it. It is the largest lake in South America. The photo is from a small bay on which is located Puno, the largest city on Lake Titicaca. That's Puno in the background.

Bonus photo after the jump.

Review: Year of the Monkey

Amazon

From Year of the Monkey, by Patti Smith:


Coffee denied, I sat on the outside bench going over the edges of the night before. It was the last of three nights in a row performing at the Fillmore and I was pulling the strings off my Stratocaster when some guy with a greasy ponytail leaned over and puked on my boots. The last gasp of 2015, a spray of vomit ushering in the New Year. A good or bad sign?"

Serendipity brought this memoir by Patti Smith to me. Patti Smith is an accomplished poet, author, artist and punk rocker who, to my embarrassment, has escaped my knowledge up to now. My loss.

The Call of the Wild (2020)

Rotten Tomatoes

The Call of the Wild (2020): Disneyfied Jack London, with men less violent, dogs less abused, and wolves not very wild at all. CGI animals show Hollywood doesn't need real animals any more. If only they wouldn't give them human expressions. Still, a good family movie. B-

POTD: Commerce on the Altiplano

From 2019 08 23 Puno

Today's photo-of-the-day is from the highway between Cuzco and Puno, Peru. It shows a roadside market at 14,222 feet. And some damn fine hats being worn by the women selling to the tourists who stop.

Bonus photos after the jump.

POTD: Peru Rail Crossing the Altiplano

From 2019 08 23 Puno

Today's photo-of-the-day is from the highway between Cuzco and Puno, Peru. Look closely. It shows a Peru Rail train crossing the high plain. The altitude here is about 14,000 feet. According to Wikipedia, "the Altiplano (Spanish for "high plain") is the area where the Andes are the widest. It is the most extensive area of high plateau on Earth outside Tibet." The train is the "Andean Explorer," which runs between Cuzco and Puno, and features "in-built oxygen for additional comfort at high altitudes."

POTD: Cuyeria

From 2019 08 23 Puno

Today's photo-of-the-day is from the highway between Cuzco and Puno, Peru. It shows a cuyeria, or cafeteria that specializes in serving cuy, or guinea pig. Yep, it's a thing in Peru.