Spirit Falls
Olympus E-M10 IV, M.Zuiko 14-42 kit lens @ 14mm, f/3.5, 1/80s, ISO 5000
It is oddly comforting to know, after all these years, that Scripting News is still updating regularly and still publishing RSS. I wonder how many others of the first 1000 blogs are still around. Not many, I’ll bet.
Finished reading: Elric: The Moonbeam Roads 📚. Another of my retirement projects is to read through the definitive author’s editions of Michael Moorcock’s works. This is the seventh (and last) of the Elric books, clocking in at a massive 1,000 pages. Well, it does contain three entire novels (Daughter of Dreams, Destiny’s Brother, Son of the Wolf). These were not even in existence the last time I read the Elric books a few decades ago, and they’re much more polished than the original novels. They also provide perhaps the best exploration of the complex metaphysics of Law, Chaos, the Eternal Champion, and the Balance, among other things. Moorcock is perhaps an acquired taste, but I acquired it long ago, and I’m enjoying getting myself reacquainted with the complex interconnections of his dozens of novels.
“Steps to Nowhere”
Olympus E-M10 IV, M.Zuiko 14-42 kit lens @ 17mm, f/4.5, 1/500s, ISO 400. Along FR 5821 near Lookout Point Reservoir.
Garmin’s online map shows a point for the “Willamette Divide Trail,” for which there is no information online (just sketchy mapping apps that are all tapping the same database). I’m intrigued. Might have to poke around there some day. (Spirit Falls track to the left, Deception Butte to the right).
Fortunately, I live in Oregon, so there are always waterfalls to improve things. This is Moon Falls - I also hiked to Spirit Falls and Pinard Falls this morning. Cleaned up photos will no doubt follow; this one is straight out of the camera.
Finished reading: The Cream of the Jest 📚. I do seem to be tearing through the James Branch Cabell lately. This one firmly ties his Lichfield novels into the wider Biography of Manuel series, with Cabell writing as the author Richard Harrowby about the author Felix Kennaston writing about the adventures of Horvendile and Ettarre, who appear elsewhere in the Biography. Beneath the comic story lie Cabell’s own speculations about life, love, and the purpose of a man.
“Horsetail”
Olympus E-M10 IV, M.Zuiko 60mm f2.8 macro lens, f/11, 1/200s, ISO 4000. Along FR 5824 near the Eugene to Crest Trail.
Much of my post-move life is perfectly described by the notion of putting ten pounds of shit in a five-pound sack. Maybe downsizing will be done before I die, but I doubt it. (Ideally I want everything to go to good homes while I’m still alive.)
I’ve managed to keep a sourdough starter going for years now (including a cross-country move) without a $160 gadget. I think I can pass on this.
(H/T The Verge)
With so many years in the industry, you’d think I could write simple Markdown without needing three tries. You’d be wrong.
Musk: Trump will ‘go after’ people ‘pushing the lies’ about Tesla
Apparently co-President Musk thinks it’s terrorism to tell people they shouldn’t further enrich him by buying swasticars. Tough shit, Elon. Why don’t you go ahead and move to Mars right now, and leave human beings alone?
“We’re Watching You”
Olympus E-M10 IV, M.Zuiko 60mm f2.8 macro lens, f/5, 1/60s, ISO 1000. Along FR 5824 near the Eugene to Crest Trail.
Finished reading: Brain on Fire 📚. This one initially seems to be in the “I had psychiatric problems but survived” genre. But then it turns out that author Susannah Calahan is actually diagnosed with a rare auto-immune disease. A scary look at what it’s like to almost die before the doctors figure it out.
“Embrace”
Olympus E-M10 IV, M.Zuiko 14-42 kit lens @ 41mm, f/6.3, 1/13s, ISO 2000. Along the Eugene to Crest Trail.
White House withdrawing Stefanik nomination to serve as US ambassador to UN
Because they’re worried they might lose a special election in a district that Trump carried by 20 points last year. Gee, that “mandate” evaporated pretty fast.
Steakholder Foods Secures $250,000 Grant Installment for 3D-Printed Eel Alternatives
On the one hand, I’m happy to see more cruelty-free meat alternatives. On the other, I can’t imagine ever eating 3D printed “food.” The overlaps between vegan and ultraprocessed are getting worse.
I see the online April Fools jokes have already started. Remember folks, 99% of you aren’t as hilarious as you think you are.
Might be about time to re-read some Saul Alinsky.
Justice Department goes to bat for Trump in hush money case
With all the other shit going down, it’s easy to forget that co-President Trump is still a convicted felon.