A Complete Unknown (2024)

Rotten Tomatoes

A Complete Unknown (2024): Bob Dylan biopic. I admit I can't be objective. This is the music of my life. I titled my blog after a Dylan lyric for gosh sakes. The movie has more Dylan music than story. Unfortunately, the movie disses other heroes of mine, but does give Joan Baez the best line: “You're kind of an asshole, Bob.” A-

In theaters

City Charter: Video Record of City Council Meetings

Source: Adobe Firefly.

On December 2, 2024, the Richardson City Council appointed eleven members to a Charter Review Commission, as required by law every ten years to review and suggest changes to Richardson's City Charter. Here, in a series of posts, I am presenting my own suggestions.

POTD: An Ancient City of Hot Baths

"Hot springs still bubble.
Terraces gleam in the sun.
A city of spas."

— h/t ChatGPT

From 2024 05 15 Hierapolis

Today's photo-of-the-day is from the ruins of Hierapolis, Turkey, a city that dates back to ancient Rome, and before that to ancient Greece, and even before that to peoples lost in the Iron Age. What drew everyone to this site then, and still does today, are the hot springs and the limestone terraces deposited by them. Even today tourists soak in the hot pools. The Romans went all out at Hierapolis, building a city that exceeded 100,000 inhabitants between 100-200 CE.

P.S. I first visited Hierapolis in 1977. It looked great then and it's even better today, if more crowded.

Bonus photos after the jump.

POTD: On the Turkish Riviera

"Turquoise waves embrace
Antalya's cliffs standing tall.
History meets now."

— h/t ChatGPT

From 2024 05 14 Antalya

Today's photo-of-the-day is from Antalya, Turkey, an ancient city on the Turkish Mediterranean coast. Turkey is such a delight to visit because of its diversity of tourist attractions. Antalya is a microcosm, with historic sites dating to ancient Rome paired with beaches and resorts. Antalya is "recognized as the 'capital of tourism' in Turkey and a pivotal part of the Turkish Riviera."

Bonus photos after the jump.

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, most diverse, dining options in north Texas ("Eat & Drink"). Feeling a bit like "Opposite Man," I thought I'd offer a list of the ten worst places to eat in Richardson last month. It's based on the City of Richardson's Health Department Restaurant Scores for last month. That is, not all restaurants are included in this ranking. Each month, different restaurants are visited by the Health Department. Only those visited last month are ranked here.

Random Thoughts: 2026 primary battle, Paxton vs Cornyn

2024-12-01: Re: Potential 2026 primary battle by Ken Paxton for John Cornyn's Senate seat: "Cornyn has cast Paxton as too shady to be a U.S. senator, an argument that could appeal to Republicans who worry about Paxton’s legal entanglements."
lol. Are there any Republicans "who worry about legal entanglements" anymore?
dallasnews.com/news/politics/2...

The Day of the Jackal (TV 2024)

Rotten Tomatoes

The Day of the Jackal (TV 2024): A British sniper-turned-assassin is hunted across Europe by MI6 agent. Family lives complicate the chase from both sides. Plot is implausible but set pieces are compelling and, at times, exciting. B+

PeacockTV

Book Review: The City and Its Uncertain Walls

From The City and Its Uncertain Walls, by Haruki Murakami:

Amazon

" 'The real me lives there, in that town surrounded by a wall,' you said. 'So the you that is sitting here next to me isn't the real you?' I had to ask. 'That’s right. The me here with you now isn't the real me. It's only a stand-in. Like a wandering shadow.' I thought it over. A wandering shadow? But I kept my opinions to myself."

POTD: Mevlana Museum

"Rumi’s words take flight,
In the Mevlana’s calm halls,
A soul’s journey ends."

— h/t ChatGPT

From 2024 05 13 Konya

Today's photo-of-the-day is from the Mevlana Museum in Konya, Turkey. Originally it was the dervish lodge of the Mevlevi order, better known as the whirling dervishes. It houses the mausoleum of Jalal ad-Din Rumi, a Persian Sufi mystic who founded the order. He died in 1231.

Bonus photos after the jump.

POTD: Caravanseria in Central Turkey

"Old walls hold the tales
Of journeys made long ago
Along the Silk Road."

— h/t ChatGPT

From 2024 05 13 Konya

Today's photo-of-the-day is from a caravanserai halfway between Cappadocia and Konya in central Turkey. A caravanserai is an ancient roadside inn where travelers (caravaners) could rest and recover from the day's journey. This particular one has been restored and serves as a museum.

Bonus photos after the jump.