Scheduling a service call with Xfinity may be slightly less painful that a root canal. But I’m not sure about that. If we had any other high-speed internet available we’d drop these guys like a hot rock.
“Baby tree”
Olympus E-M10 IV, M.Zuiko 60mm f/2.8 macro @ f/5.6, 1/100s, ISO 6400. Shot from Youngs Rock Trail.
Finished The Lost Painting (on audio, but I’m making the rules in this blog, and I say it counts as a book). I know nothing about art history, so this was only mildly interesting, which made it perfect for background listening. Felt a bit padded but still a reasonably good story. 📚
This would be better news if only I trusted the Roberts Court to rule in favor of freedom, common sense, and the Constitution. Or the Trump administration to follow Supreme Court rulings.
“Not Dead Yet”
Olympus E-M10 IV, M.Zuiko 60mm f/2.8 macro @ f/5.0, 1/1000s, ISO 200. Shot from Youngs Rock Trail.
“I suppose you’re all wondering why I called you here today”
Olympus E-M10 IV, M.Zuiko 60mm f/2.8 macro @ f/4.0, 1/125s, ISO 4000.
National War Tax Resistance Coordinating Committee. How not to pay your taxes (and what might happen to you as a result). Just in case you reach the point where funding this government becomes intolerable.
Besides, if they’re firing all the IRS agents, how will they ever figure out you’re not paying?
Trump, EPA Aim to Remove Finding That Mandates Action on Greenhouse Gas Pollution. One of the many ways in which the new administration is trying to kill us all.
Inside Climate News does great work, but increasingly it feels like they’re the telegraphers on the Titanic, sending out bulletins as the inevitable happens.
$400 internet-connected toaster. Um, no.
To add insult to injury, Wired says it doesn’t even make good toast.
“Snow Wave”
Olympus E-M10 IV, M.Zuiko 14-42 kit lens @42mm, 1/100s, ISO 200. Along the road to Warner Mountain Lookout.
“Young’s Rock”
Olympus E-M10 IV, M.Zuiko 14-42 kit lens @42mm, 1/100s, ISO 320. Shot from Youngs Rock Trail.
Removed the Washington Post from my morning reading, and replaced it with Wired. Not that I think Conde Nast is the greatest company in the world, but Jeff Bezos has successfully destroyed my trust in what was once a great newspaper.
I’ve been reading the Encyclopedia Britannica (yes, start to finish - this is the sort of thing retirement allows) and an offhand reference to unlikely coincidences in the introduction of Red Fife wheat to Canada caught my eye. The Britannica in its magisterial tone did not enumerate those coincidences. A little digging took me to the Canadian Encyclopedia:
Red Fife is Canada’s oldest wheat. One legend states that a load of wheat grown in Ukraine was on a ship in the Glasgow harbour. A friend of David Fife dropped his hat into the red-coloured wheat, collecting a few seeds in the hatband, which he then shipped off to David Fife. The wheat grew. The family cow managed to eat all the wheat heads except for one, which David Fife’s wife salvaged. This was the beginning of Red Fife wheat in Canada.
Of such threads is history woven. Even if it’s a legend, I prefer to believe that it is just unlikely enough to be true.
Some good news
During the week of February 10, the latest week available, foot traffic to Target dropped 7.9% and 4.8% to Walmart. Foot traffic to Costco, which has stood by its DEI policies, increased 4.8%.
(Placer.ai via CNN)
“Looming Sisters”
Olympus E-M10 IV, M.Zuiko 100-400 F5.0-6.3 with 2.0 teleconverter @ 400mm (1600mm FF equivalent), 1/250s, ISO 250. Heavily post-processed in Darktable. Shot from the top of Spencer Butte. Mt. Washington visible at left side, North Sister, Middle Sister, South Sister and Broken top together at the right. Mt. Pisgah in the foreground.
The People’s Union USA. This is the guy (or group, depending on your point of view) behind today’s “24 hour economic blackout” that’s been getting some mainstream news coverage. I find their program pretty incoherent and think this will be as noticeable as a fart in a hurricane. Nevertheless, I won’t be shopping today.
Reminds me of the classic Network speech.
“Treacherous Stairs”
Olympus E-M10 IV, TTArtisan 25mm f/2.0, 1/4000s, ISO 160. Near the top of Spencer Butte.
“Moss Muncher”
Olympus E-M10 IV, M.Zuiko 14-42 kit lens with Raynox 250 macro lens @ f/9, 1/30s, ISO 6400. Base of Spencer Butte.
“Fern shadows."
Olympus E-M10 IV, TTArtisan 25mm f/2.0, 1/60s, ISO 200. Eugene Ridgeline Trail.
