Saturday, April 6, 2024

POTD: Royal Alcázar of Seville

"Through centuries past,
Alcázar's splendor endures,
A timeless fortress."

—h/t ChatGPT

From 2023 09 09 Seville

Today's photo-of-the-day is of the Royal Alcázar of Seville, "a historic royal palace in Seville, Spain. It was formerly the site of the Islamic-era citadel of the city, begun in the 10th century and then developed into a larger palace complex by the Abbadid dynasty (11th century) and the Almohads (12th to early 13th centuries). After the Castilian conquest of the city in 1248, the site was progressively rebuilt and replaced by new palaces and gardens." Is it a fort, a castle, a citadel, a palace, a city? Yes. It's a sprawling maze of delights.

Thursday, April 4, 2024

Priscilla (2023)

Rotten Tomatoes

Rotten Tomatoes

Priscilla (2023): Biopic of the Presleys together. She was an innocent child. He was a spoiled man-child. She loved him. He loved himself. Movie doesn't do either's reputation any good. Neither has enough depth to keep audience's interest for 90 minutes. B-

Max

Wednesday, April 3, 2024

Death and Other Details (TV 2024)

Rotten Tomatoes

Rotten Tomatoes

Death and Other Details (TV 2024): Cruise ship full of rich people. Someone is murdered. A whodunnit that morphs into...what? A terrorist revenge action thriller? Mandy Patinkin and Violett Beane are good enough, but the rest play unlikable stereotypes. There are too many crimes to solve here, all tangled up in a convoluted plot. B-

Hulu

Tuesday, April 2, 2024

ACFR: "There's No Fraud"

Source: DALL-E

For city finance wonks, Christmas comes twice a year: once in August when the City's budget is set and again when the City's annual comprehensive financial audit (ACFR) is published. The budget specifies the city's cash flow (its planned revenues and expenses). The financial audit details the city's assets (the value of city property, bank accounts, etc.) and its liabilities (outstanding debt, pension obligations, etc.).

Monday, April 1, 2024

Random Thoughts: Herd Stupidity

Mastodon

2024-03-03: Column: "As measles spreads, 'herd stupidity' grips Florida's government."
Pretty much. Conservative government is harmful to public health. Add that warning to others: Conservative government is harmful to democracy. Conservative government is harmful to the climate. How about just the catch-all warning: "Conservative government is harmful."
sg.finance.yahoo.com/news/colu...