POTD: The Arch of Hadrian, Now and Then

From 2022 11 03 Athens

This photo-of-the-day is from Athens, Greece. It shows the Arch of Hadrian. Hadrian was a Roman emperor and this arch is in Athens, at the foot of the Acropolis. What's with that? Ancient history is long...and messy.

A bonus photo, then and now, is after the jump.

POTD: Genuine Fake Watches

From 2022 11 02 Ephesus

This photo-of-the-day is from the ancient city of Ephesus, Turkey. Every stop on the tourist trail has them — souvenir stalls at the entrance/exit extending for as far as the eye can see. And common items for sale at these stalls are "Rolex" watches. This stall stands out for its honesty.

Full disclosure: I once bought a watch at a souvenir stand. In Russia. It turns out to have been one of my favorite souvenir purchases ever, even though I no longer have the watch. You can read the story here: "My Uglich Watch".

Silo - S01 (TV 2023)

Rotten Tomatoes

Silo - S01 (TV 2023): Sci-fi mystery, drama, thriller. In dystopian future, all live in underground silo. Story starts with big questions (Who built it? When? Why? What's outside?) then develops characters, ending with a big reveal, which raises more questions for season 2. B+

Council Recap: All Budget

The Richardson City Council held a work session July 24-25 focused solely on development of the 2023-2024 budget. Attendance by the public was sparse. There will be public hearings on the proposed tax rate and budget in mid- to late-August.

Oppenheimer (2023)

Rotten Tomatoes

Oppenheimer (2023): Biopic of the "father of the atomic bomb." Morally conflicted, he developed the A-bomb to beat Hitler to it, but afterwards tried to put the genie back in the bottle. The era's anti-Commies are the ends-justify-the-means bad guys. Smart, compelling blend of history and science. A-

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