“Maybe Not the Best Spot”
Olympus E-M10 IV with 14-42 kit lens @ 41mm, f/11, 1/80s, ISO 320. Along the Sutton Creek North Trail.
“Who You Lookin' At?”
Olympus E-M10 IV with M.Zuiko 100-400mm lens @ 400mm, f/11, 1/60s, ISO 2500. Spotted in Dune Lake next to Alder Dune Campground.
Finished: Lords of the North, by Bernard Cornwell 📚. In this installment the Saxon-Dane Uhtred gets his revenge on some of the Danes who mistreated him way back in the first book. Meanwhile, Alfred and his allies continue to consolidate control over Britain. There are lots more in the series but I think I’m going to leave it here for now. It’s just not clicking with me the way some of Cornwell’s other books have.
Finished: Dreamers in Hell, ed. by Janet Morris - 16th book in this shared universe series, so you probably don’t want to start here. In this installment, Satan and a cast of zillions from across history (mainly people you’ve heard of) use a new energy source developed by Tesla to try to take the attack straight to heaven’t gates.
Trump says he doesn’t want Apple building products in India: ‘I had a little problem with Tim Cook’
Another tech giant discovers that sucking up to a mercurial wannabe dictator is not a winning strategy.
Dark matter formed when fast particles slowed down and got heavy, new theory says
So basically this theory is another attack on junk food.
EA Tried to Stop an ‘Anti-DEI Mod’ for The Sims 4—but More Keep Surfacing
This is what happens when hate gets normalized.
Montana judge strikes down law banning gender-affirming care for minors
More good news from the judiciary.
The End of Rule of Law in America
Judge Luttig sums up the mess we’re in. Long and depressing but still worth reading.
After these first three tyrannical, lawless months of this presidency, surely Americans can understand now that Donald Trump is going to continue to decimate America for the next three-plus years. He will continue his assault on America, its democracy, and rule of law until the American people finally rise up and say, “No more.”
First judge approves Trump invoking Alien Enemies Act to deport Venezuelans
Had to happen sooner or later, I guess. This stuff is clearly not going to be resolved before the Supreme Court weighs in on the merits.
Judge slams lawyers for ‘bogus AI-generated research’
How stupid do you have to be to add more AI slop to a legal brief after the judge questions your initial round of AI slop? $31,000 worth of stupid in this case.
“The Gathering Storm”
Olympus TG-6 @ 5.4mm, f/9, 1/250s, ISO 100. Near the top of Mt. Pisgah.
“Ready to Pop”
Olympus TG-6 @ 11.1mm, f/3.6, 1/200s, ISO 800. Fringecup buds along a trail at Mt. Pisgah.
AI therapy is a surveillance machine in a police state
The obvious takeaway from this is “don’t get therapy from a chatbot, especially not from a high-profile platform, especially if you’re in the US, especially not right now.”
“Cat Ears”
Olympus TG-6 @ 5.4mm, f/3.2, 1/160s, ISO 100. Elegant Mariposa Lily trailside at Mt. Pisgah.
“Sweeping View”
Olympus TG-6 @ 5.4mm, f/3.2, 1/250s, ISO 100. Trail at Mt. Pisgah leading into a meadow dotted with Scotch Broom.
“Ookow Rising”
Olympus TG-6 @ 5.4mm, f/3.2, 1/320s, ISO 100. Yes, this flower really is named the ookow. Taken on the trails at Mt. Pisgah.
Finished: The Last Season, by Eric Blehm 📚. A look at the life and disappearance (and later remains recovery) of Randy Morgenson, a longtime backcountry ranger in the California Sierra. It’s both an appreciation of nature untrammeled and a SAR mystery story, well-written and designed to provoke reflection.
Universe expected to decay in 10⁷⁸ years, much sooner than previously thought
Another reason to avoid auto-renewing subscriptions.
China tariff thoughts
Looks like China & the US have agreed to a temporary reduction in tariff rates (to 30% in this direction, 10% in that direction).
- The so-called master dealmaker appears to have rolled over and played dead again. Less than a week from saying there would be no tariff concessions to a huge drop.
- This is only a 90-day pause, so there’s still plenty of room for things to fall apart.
- A 30% tax is still a 30% tax. I’ll certainly be buying less. So, I would think, will many other people. Recession remains a very real possibility.
- It’s still going to be hard to ramp things back up in time to have a traditional consumerist American Christmas, especially given that this continues the policy of making things uncertain for business.
Stock market will no doubt be hugely up this morning, but I don’t expect those gains to last as reality sinks back in.