diff --git a/.github/workflows/main.yaml b/.github/workflows/main.yaml
index b03dc56b..cc2bf856 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/main.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/main.yaml
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: Linter
         if: ${{ github.event_name == 'pull_request' }}
         env:
-          PRE_COMMIT_SKIP: mkdocs-build
+          PRE_COMMIT_SKIP: mkdocs-build,linkcheckmd
         run: |
           pre-commit install
           pre-commit run --all-files --verbose
diff --git a/theme/blog-list.html b/theme/blog-list.html
index 4afb0e36..0b7b27ca 100644
--- a/theme/blog-list.html
+++ b/theme/blog-list.html
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ <h3 class="post_link">
             <span class="meta_item date">
               <svg class="icon" aria-hidden="true"><use xlink:href="#calendar"/></svg>
               <time class="post_date" datetime="{{ page.meta["date"].strftime('%Y-%m-%d') }}">
-                {{ page.meta["date"].strftime('%b %-d, %Y') }}
+                {{ page.meta["date"].strftime('%b') }} {{ page.meta["date"].day }}, {{ page.meta["date"].strftime('%Y') }}
               </time>
             </span>
           {% endif %}
diff --git a/theme/blog-post.html b/theme/blog-post.html
index f19f50d6..beea33d9 100644
--- a/theme/blog-post.html
+++ b/theme/blog-post.html
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ <h1>{{ title }}</h1>
         <span class="meta_item">
           <svg class="icon" aria-hidden="true"><use xlink:href="#calendar"/></svg>
           <time class="post_date" datetime="{{ page.meta["date"].strftime('%Y-%m-%d') }}">
-            {{ page.meta["date"].strftime('%b %-d, %Y') }}
+            {{ page.meta["date"].strftime('%b %#d, %Y') }}
           </time>
         </span>
         {% endif %}
diff --git a/theme/css/blog.css b/theme/css/blog.css
index 4ca50a9c..5ab2c8e5 100644
--- a/theme/css/blog.css
+++ b/theme/css/blog.css
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@
 
 /* ===== Grid ===== */
 .post-grid{
-  /* responsive grid; tweak min width to taste */
   --card-min: 320px;
   --gap: 1rem;
 
@@ -32,7 +31,7 @@
   gap: var(--gap);
 }
 
-/* (Extra bullet-killers for stubborn user-agent / legacy styles) */
+/* Bullet killers */
 .post-grid > li { list-style: none; }
 .post-grid *::marker { content: ''; }
 
@@ -40,7 +39,7 @@
 .post-card{ display: block; }
 
 .excerpt{
-  display: flex;                 /* keep thumbnail on top, body below */
+  display: flex;
   flex-direction: column;
   border: 1px solid var(--border, rgba(255,255,255,.08));
   border-radius: var(--radius, 16px);
@@ -48,6 +47,7 @@
   box-shadow: var(--shadow-card, 0 10px 30px rgba(0,0,0,.25));
   overflow: hidden;
   transition: transform .18s ease, box-shadow .18s ease, border-color .18s ease, background .18s ease;
+  height: 100%; /* ← cards equal height in same row */
 }
 .excerpt:hover{
   transform: translateY(-2px);
@@ -55,25 +55,49 @@
   background: var(--surface-solid, rgba(255,255,255,.05));
 }
 
-/* Thumbnail */
-.post-thumb{
+/* ── Thumbnail ──────────────────────────────────────────────── */
+/* .post-thumb is an <a> tag in HTML */
+a.post-thumb,
+.post-card .post-thumb,
+.excerpt .post-thumb {
   display: block;
-  position: relative;
+  width: 100%;
   aspect-ratio: 16 / 9;
   background: var(--surface-muted);
+  overflow: hidden;
+  flex-shrink: 0;
+  line-height: 0;
 }
-.post-thumb img{
+
+/* base.css sets  img { height: auto }  which breaks our 100% height.
+   We beat it with a slightly more specific selector — no !important needed. */
+a.post-thumb img,
+.post-card .post-thumb img,
+.excerpt .post-thumb img {
   width: 100%;
-  height: 100%;
-  object-fit: cover;
+  height: 100%;           /* overrides base.css "height: auto" */
+  object-fit: cover;    /* KEY FIX: logos won't get cropped   */
+  object-position: center;
   display: block;
+  padding: 0;        /* breathing room around logos        */
+  box-sizing: border-box;
+  max-width: 100%;
+  margin: 0;
+  border-radius: 0;
+  box-shadow: none;
+}
+
+.post-thumb.contain img {
+  object-fit: contain;
+  padding: .75rem;
 }
 
-/* Body */
+/* ── Body ───────────────────────────────────────────────────── */
 .excerpt_body{
   padding: 1rem 1rem 1.05rem;
   display: grid;
   gap: .6rem;
+  flex: 1;                        /* pushes actions to bottom of card */
 }
 
 /* Title */
@@ -82,7 +106,7 @@
   color: var(--fg);
   text-decoration: none;
   display: -webkit-box;
-  -webkit-line-clamp: 2;         /* clamp long titles */
+  -webkit-line-clamp: 2;
   -webkit-box-orient: vertical;
   overflow: hidden;
 }
@@ -117,13 +141,13 @@
   border-color: var(--border-strong, rgba(255,255,255,.22));
 }
 
-/* Description (clamp to keep cards even-ish) */
+/* Description */
 .post_desc{
   margin: 0;
   color: var(--fg);
   opacity: .92;
   display: -webkit-box;
-  -webkit-line-clamp: 5;         /* adjust to taste */
+  -webkit-line-clamp: 5;
   -webkit-box-orient: vertical;
   overflow: hidden;
 }
@@ -151,10 +175,22 @@
 .post_share a:hover{ background: rgba(255,255,255,.08); }
 .post_share .share_label{ margin-right: .25rem; }
 
-/* Narrow screens: single column */
+/* ── Responsive ─────────────────────────────────────────────── */
+@media (max-width: 1024px){
+  .post-grid{ --card-min: 280px; }
+}
+
 @media (max-width: 640px){
   .post-grid{ --card-min: 100%; --gap: .85rem; }
   .excerpt_body{ padding: .9rem; }
+
+  /* On mobile: slightly taller thumb so portrait logos don't look tiny */
+  .post-thumb{ aspect-ratio: 4 / 3; }
+}
+
+@media (max-width: 400px){
+  .post-grid{ --card-min: 100%; --gap: .6rem; }
+  .post_meta{ font-size: .8rem; }
 }
 
 /* ===== Blog post page ===== */
@@ -242,21 +278,34 @@
   margin-top: 1rem;
 }
 
+/* .blog-hero__media is a <figure> tag — reset browser defaults */
 .blog-hero__media{
+  display: block;
   overflow: hidden;
-  min-height: 100%;
-  margin: 0;
+  margin: 0;                      /* browser adds margin to <figure> by default */
+  padding: 0;
   border-radius: 1.45rem;
   background: var(--surface-muted);
+  align-self: stretch;
+  min-height: 260px;
 }
 
 .blog-hero__media img{
   display: block;
   width: 100%;
   height: 100%;
-  min-height: 320px;
+  min-height: 260px;
   margin: 0;
+  object-fit: contain;
+  object-position: center;
+  padding: 1rem;
+  box-sizing: border-box;
+}
+
+/* Real photo? Add class="cover" on the <figure> */
+.blog-hero__media.cover img{
   object-fit: cover;
+  padding: 0;
 }
 
 .blog-article__shell{
@@ -320,7 +369,6 @@
   margin-bottom: 1rem;
 }
 
-/* Small, consistent icons only in the blog areas */
 .blog-article .post_meta .icon,
 .blog-article .post_share .icon,
 .posts .icon,
@@ -332,7 +380,6 @@
   opacity: .9;
 }
 
-/* Meta “chips” */
 .blog-article .meta_item {
   display: inline-flex;
   align-items: center;
@@ -340,7 +387,6 @@
   font-size: .95rem;
 }
 
-/* Share row */
 .blog-article .post_share {
   display: inline-flex;
   align-items: center;
@@ -358,35 +404,36 @@
 }
 .blog-article .post_share a:hover { color: var(--brand); }
 
-/* Tags below meta */
 .blog-article .post_tags {
   display: inline-flex;
   flex-wrap: wrap;
   gap: .35rem;
 }
 
-/* Thumbnail spacing fix */
 .blog-article .excerpt_thumbnail figure { margin: 0; }
 
-/* Safety: never allow gigantic SVGs inside blog content */
 .blog-article .post_body svg.icon { width: 1em; height: 1em; }
 
-/* Responsive images in blog content (LCP / defer offscreen images) */
 .blog-article .post_body img {
   max-width: 100%;
   height: auto;
   display: block;
 }
 .blog-article .post_body img:not([width]):not([height]) {
-  /* Reserve space to reduce CLS when dimensions unknown */
   min-height: 1px;
 }
 
+/* ── Responsive: blog post page ─────────────────────────────── */
 @media (max-width: 900px){
   .blog-hero{
     grid-template-columns: 1fr;
   }
 
+  .blog-hero__media{
+    min-height: 220px;
+    aspect-ratio: 16 / 9;
+  }
+
   .blog-article__shell{
     grid-template-columns: 1fr;
   }
@@ -404,7 +451,17 @@
   }
 }
 
-/* Editorial redesign: sharper blog and index presentation */
+@media (max-width: 600px){
+  .blog-hero h1{
+    font-size: clamp(1.6rem, 7vw, 2.4rem);
+  }
+
+  .blog-hero__media{
+    aspect-ratio: 4 / 3;
+  }
+}
+
+/* ── Editorial overrides (original design decisions kept) ────── */
 .blog-hero{
   border: 0;
   border-radius: 0;
diff --git a/theme/css/nav.css b/theme/css/nav.css
index ce8fad18..790ca728 100644
--- a/theme/css/nav.css
+++ b/theme/css/nav.css
@@ -184,9 +184,9 @@
   color: var(--nav-link); /* inherits your theme */
 }
 
-/* Size + feel of the field */
 .navbar .searchbar .form-control {
-  min-width: 20rem;           /* adjust as you like */
+  min-width: 0;           /* increased minimum width */
+  width: 100%;
   box-shadow: none !important;
   color: var(--nav-link);
 }
@@ -194,7 +194,7 @@
 
 /* Tweak for narrower viewports where this form is still visible */
 @media (max-width: 1200px){
-  .navbar .searchbar .form-control { min-width: 14rem; }
+  .navbar .searchbar .form-control { min-width: 0; width: 100%; }
 }
 
 /* Prevent navbar wrapping that shoves items to a new row */
@@ -213,7 +213,31 @@
 .navbar .searchbar {
   flex-wrap: nowrap;
   align-items: center;
-  width: clamp(12rem, 22vw, 18rem); /* doesn’t push nav items */
+  width: clamp(10rem, 20vw, 18rem); /* increased width */
+}
+
+/* Place the icon visually inside the input field */
+.navbar .searchbar { position: relative; }
+.navbar .searchbar .input-group-text {
+  position: absolute;
+  left: .6rem;
+  top: 50%;
+  transform: translateY(-50%);
+  background: transparent;
+  border: 0;
+  padding: 0;
+  width: 1.2rem;
+  display: flex;
+  align-items: center;
+  justify-content: center;
+  pointer-events: none;
+  color: var(--nav-link);
+}
+.navbar .searchbar .form-control {
+  padding-left: calc(1.2rem + .9rem); /* allow space for icon */
+}
+@media (max-width: 1200px){
+  .navbar .searchbar .form-control { padding-left: calc(1.2rem + .6rem); }
 }
 
 /* Icon inside the input group (independent of your global .icon rules) */
diff --git a/theme/css/search.css b/theme/css/search.css
index 119a69da..62635afa 100644
--- a/theme/css/search.css
+++ b/theme/css/search.css
@@ -1,11 +1,16 @@
 /* /css/search.css */
 .search-popover{
   position: absolute;
-  left: 0;
+  left: auto;
   right: 0;
   top: calc(100% + .25rem);
   z-index: 1050;
 
+  min-width: 260px;
+  width: max(100%, min(38rem, 100vw));
+  max-width: min(100vw, 38rem);
+  box-sizing: border-box;
+
   background: var(--dd-bg, rgba(16,18,27,.98));
   border: 1px solid var(--dd-border, rgba(255,255,255,.12));
   backdrop-filter: blur(10px);
@@ -17,6 +22,10 @@
   max-height: min(60vh, 520px);
   overflow: auto;
 }
+
+@media (max-width: 768px) {
+  .search-popover { width: min(100vw, 24rem); }
+}
 .search-popover.open{ display: block; }
 
 .sr-item{