Petrol & Marks & Spencer

By Robert Ellison. Updated on Saturday, October 1, 2022.

Takeout curry in a toilet bowl

I recently got back from a trip back to the UK. Every time I go back these days something about the country has fundamentally changed. This time it's that every petrol station and motorway services has a Marks & Spencer or Waitrose supermarket embedded in it. On the motorway there are generally several large branches, and then a smaller branch in the toilet hand-washing area, and finally a tiny shop selling sandwiches and a small selection of ready-made curries in each cubicle.

At first pass this seems very convenient, but you can't fill up the tank in the smallest BP (paying at the pump being virtually unheard of in the UK) without getting stuck behind someone doing their weekly shop. 

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(Published to the Fediverse as: Petrol & Marks & Spencer #etc #uk #motorwayservices #petrol #waitrose #marks&spencer On this insane number of ever smaller Marks & Spencer outlets that are now everywhere in the UK. )

Playmobil

By Robert Ellison. Updated on Saturday, January 18, 2025.

Playmobil

In this intriguing photograph titled "Playmobil," the perspective draws the viewer into a tunnel-like vision, set within what appears to be a towering structure made from toy building blocks. The walls of this construct are adorned with an industrial grey, their orderly, grid-like pattern leading the eye towards a vibrant red endpoint at the center. This bright focal point breaks the monochrome monotony, adding a dramatic splash of color that captures attention. Interspersed along the edges, hints of green further contrast the uniformity, introducing an element of playfulness to the otherwise rigid scene. The image, possibly captured from the inside of a Playmobil tower, reveals an intricate assembly, evoking a sense of childhood nostalgia and the imaginative narratives often built around such toys.

The composition of the photograph employs a central perspective that effectively guides the viewer’s gaze directly through the tunnel-like formation, utilizing the principles of leading lines and symmetry. The lines created by the toy blocks converge towards the center, making the vibrant red endpoint the dominant subject of the piece. This approach highlights the depth and scale of the miniature construction. Technically, the photograph captures clear details of the textured surface, though the lighting could be more even to enhance visibility and reduce the overexposure on the lighter sections. While the intense use of color adds vibrancy, it might benefit from a greater balance to unify the various elements. Overall, this unique perspective on a simple toy structure demonstrates a creative lens, embodying a playful spirit yet leaving room for enhanced lighting control.

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Reviews and Links for May 2012

By Robert Ellison. Updated on Friday, May 22, 2020.

No book reviews this month.

Links

#boarding SFO http://t.co/YLDFpmwF

Penn Jillette's rant against Obama's drug policy http://t.co/Ri5HAqxH

Congratulations @SpaceX -- Dragon arrives at space station in historic 1st http://t.co/91suk4ZV via @sfgate

Why your camera's GPS won't work in China (maybe) http://t.co/FQIFN8wI

Sigh, obvious, invalid, bullshit -- BBC News - Microsoft wins patent fight with Google's Motorola unit http://t.co/0PENWTCV

BBC News the secret links between Star Wars and Wales http://t.co/T8yEulCu (is there any tenuous link with Wales you won't publish?)

:) Hot weather to continue next week http://t.co/izAc2yA1

Not Skip's Tavern any more... http://t.co/dPx1NIj8

Reality rocks in San Francisco earthquake exhibit http://t.co/yo82B38b (Looking forward to this!)

BBC News - In pictures: Annular eclipse http://t.co/YA5F6or2 (Check out the Lemurs checking out the eclipse)

ITHCWY: Annular Eclipse at SFO: The only solar observatory outside the international terminal at SFO (some… http://t.co/ZqMXm8Ec

Beer was near, sadly earlier. http://t.co/2BeMAJZj

America's great divergence - American History - http://t.co/zQcVJIcQ http://t.co/fSdtXSvl

"Why won't you answer me?" - Parenting - http://t.co/zQcVJIcQ http://t.co/Ljzg6vpG (I should stop telling Kate about her 'milk head')

1906 earthquake refugee cottage at The Presidio. http://t.co/pof5LotA

+1 Judge suspends US law that provided for indefinite detention without trial - Boing Boing http://t.co/xsBuLyYb via @BoingBoing

Daniel Raven-Ellison, Guerrilla Geographer Information, Facts, News, Photos -- National Geographic http://t.co/DjgJdvMJ via @NatGeo

ITHCWY: Gopher Snake: Bernal Heights Park http://t.co/OoHYDU0y

Turned out nice... http://t.co/G2pHtgbd

RT @CatfoodSoftware: Blog: Catfood Software on Google+ and a Hangout Pledge: Catfood is now on Google+. Once 50… http://t.co/ZC84h8AN

ITHCWY: Open Immigration: I'm increasingly in favor of opening up immigration. Partly it's a general sense that a… http://t.co/cBLQT2rI

ITHCWY: Snake rests on Toad: At the California Academy of Sciences. http://t.co/YTQh682A

New Golden Gate Visitor center - lots of tat, no food :( http://t.co/vXmZn099

Obama sighting on morning dog walk. #fb http://t.co/wZdwN2Mj

President Obama: 'I Think Same-Sex Couples Should Be Able to Get Married'; http://t.co/CtC6k2A8 (shameful that it has taken this long)

Gaia revisited: http://t.co/sHSeFph7 - I'm still in the extreme camp: http://t.co/6dzIjBy7

Post Doyle Drive detour quite pleasant on the way home tonight. http://t.co/fSK8e4v9

THINKWALKS: http://t.co/ToOZo3KQ #todo in San Francisco @myEN

ITHCWY: Bottled Water: A company called Evive launched this week to battle the evil of bottled water with reusable… http://t.co/5X9e3emO

ITHCWY: Pelicans http://t.co/0xoup7z5

It's @KQED pledge yet again. Throw them a bone public radio freeloaders: http://t.co/00UvTamT

Illegal dumping can now be voted to fix at http://t.co/SsliF12n #bernal-heights!

Yet Another Awful Dumping Incident on Bernal Hill http://t.co/35kLDRdn via @bernalwood

+1 AllClear ID Rolls Out First-Ever Social Security Number Blocking Service For Children's IDs http://t.co/wnRILNzQ via @techcrunch

Rejected and controversial New Yorker cover art (the mentos one is very good) http://t.co/afo9AxZd via @BoingBoing #fb

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Annular Eclipse at SFO

By Robert Ellison. Updated on Saturday, January 18, 2025.

Annular Eclipse at SFO

The only solar observatory outside the international terminal at SFO (some binoculars and a complicated harness of cardboard cup wrappers). Gathered quite a crowd!

The photograph captures a mesmerizing interplay of natural light during an annular solar eclipse, projected onto a human hand. The hand, slightly open, is basked in soft shadows and illuminated by two crescent-shaped reflections, vivid and glowing in their fiery white contrast against the skin. The texture of the hand, with its natural lines and creases, is rendered in gentle focus, drawing attention to the interplay between human anatomy and celestial phenomena. Beneath, a simple concrete surface adds a grounding element to the scene, introducing subtle gray tones and a quiet grid-like pattern that hints at a man-made environment.

In terms of composition, this image skillfully employs a minimalist style, using the human hand as both a canvas and focal point. The crescents are positioned off-center, adhering to the rule of thirds, which guides the viewer’s eye naturally across the photograph. The use of natural light is particularly effective; the eclipses are sharp and clear, contrasting beautifully with the soft focus of the hand, creating a balanced dynamic between foreground and background. What stands out is the photograph’s ability to merge human with cosmic in a serene yet surreal manner. However, the overall impact could be enhanced by slightly deeper shadow contrasts to add more depth, while the background, though unobtrusive, could be cropped tighter to focus even further on the magical solar spectacles. Overall, the photograph is a captivating blend of simplicity and wonder, capturing the universal awe of celestial events with quiet elegance.

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(Published to the Fediverse as: Annular Eclipse at SFO #photo #eclipse Photo of the 2012 annular (partial) solar eclipse from San Francisco, California (at SFO) )

Gopher Snake

By Robert Ellison. Updated on Saturday, January 18, 2025.

Gopher Snake

A Gopher Snake in Bernal Heights Park. They look a little like a rattlesnake but are docile and harmless.

In this captivating photograph titled "Gopher Snake," the viewer's eye is immediately drawn to the earthy hued serpent, its body elegantly coiled and stretched across a bed of dried grass. The snake’s patterned skin, a mosaic of browns and golds, harmonizes beautifully with the sunlit straw beneath it. Surrounding the creature, scattered flecks of delicate purple and white flowers peek through the lush, verdant foliage, adding bursts of color that contrast against the natural camouflage of the snake. The interplay of shadow and light enhances the texture of both the snake’s scales and the dry, curling grass, creating a sense of depth and movement in an otherwise tranquil scene.

The composition of the photograph is a thoughtful study in contrasts and harmony. The photographer has chosen a perspective that allows for a sweeping view of the scene, with the snake forming a central diagonal line across the frame, lending dynamic energy to the image. The use of natural light is expertly managed, highlighting the intricate details of the gopher snake's scales and the surrounding environment. However, the busy background, with its mix of plants and flowers, slightly detracts from the focal point by competing for attention, potentially overwhelming the viewer. Nonetheless, the photograph achieves a commendable balance of color and texture, inviting an immersive experience of the natural world. The earthy tones and vibrant floral accents create an aesthetically pleasing palette that underscores the elegance of the subject in its natural habitat.

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(Published to the Fediverse as: Gopher Snake #photo #snake Photo of a Gopher Snake In Bernal Heights Park, San Francisco, California. )

Open Immigration

By Robert Ellison. Updated on Saturday, March 1, 2025.

Open Immigration

I'm increasingly in favor of opening up immigration. Partly it's a general sense that a person shouldn't be tied to a country by the accident of birth. Being free to migrate seems to me like it should be a basic human right. 

Partly it's the economic benefit. I'm in the software/Internet industry and I've been lucky enough to work in Silicon Valley via visa, green card and eventually citizenship. I hope I've also been a net benefit to my adopted home. I've certainly paid plenty of tax and helped to create a fair number of jobs. Vijay Govindarajan writing on the same topic lists a few more[1] illustrious transplants:

"Consider that the co-founder of Google is Sergey Brin, a Russian. The co-founder of Sun Microsystems is Vinod Khosla, an Indian. eBay was founded by Pierre Omidyar, who is French. The co-founder of Juniper Networks is an Indian, Pradeep Sindhu. YouTube was co-founded by Steve Chen, who is Chinese. Yahoo! was co-founded by Jerry Yang, a Chinese immigrant. Andy Grove, a Hungarian, co-founded Intel."

Not that you need to create a billion plus dollar company to have a positive impact.

There are of course economic risks - primarily cheap labor lowering wages (albeit also lowering prices) and freeloaders benefiting from social programs without contributing back.

But cheap labor is getting those jobs anyway. It's a fundamental inequality that companies can shop around internationally for cheap employees but people can't shop around internationally for a job. And the impact of the freeloader problem can be reduced by requiring some length of residency before providing benefits. 

Of course some jobs require physical proximity and can't be outsourced and some level of freeloading will always be possible. This brings me to the third reason I support open immigration. It would bring a huge amount of focus to international development. If people are free to live and work where they want then there will be a huge motivation to improve living conditions and economic opportunity around the world. It might be the only way to make real progress in this area.

This policy could be unilateral, or it could be based on reciprocal treaty - the latter probably being more[2] practical, and hopefully fostering immigration in both directions.

[1] More in the sense of greater, not additional.

[2] More in the sense of closer to, I don't think it's actually very likely to happen.

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Snake rests on Toad

By Robert Ellison. Updated on Monday, January 20, 2025.

Snake rests on Toad

Photo of a snake taking a rest on a toad at the California Academy of Sciences.

The photograph titled "Snake rests on Toad" presents an intriguing and unusual wildlife scene. At the heart of the composition, a toad with textured, earthy skin stares directly into the camera. Its eyes, wide and glossy, give an impression of stoic resignation to its peculiar headgear—a small snake. The snake's vibrant colors contrast starkly with the toad's rugged tones, its smooth scales a striking black and yellow pattern. The background is softly blurred, allowing the viewer’s attention to be drawn inevitably toward the bizarre yet harmonious arrangement between the two creatures.

The composition employs a shallow depth of field, focusing tightly on the toad's expressive face and the snake perched atop, which adds an element of intimacy to the photograph. The use of soft lighting creates a gentle ambiance, casting subtle shadows on the toad's textured skin, enhancing the tactile details vividly. While the humorous juxtaposition of the snake and toad captivates the viewer, the strong focus causes the image to lack a sense of depth. The framing could have been improved to include more of the snake's body, which might have provided additional context and balance to the composition. Nonetheless, the photograph’s charm lies in capturing such a rare moment of calm interaction between unlikely companions.

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(Published to the Fediverse as: Snake rests on Toad #photo #snake #toad A snake takes a break by resting on a toad at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco, California (photo). )

Bottled Water

By Robert Ellison. Updated on Thursday, November 12, 2015.

Bottled Water

A company called Evive launched this week to battle the evil of bottled water with reusable RFID equipped bottles that need a special filling station that plays advertising to you while you refill. Sort of like a water fountain but worse in every way possible. 

Concord Massachusetts just started to ban the sale of bottled water, joining several other towns and cities around the world. They've actually just banned small bottles, you can still buy a large one. 

Wouldn't it be better to leave the water on the shelf and ban Coke? 

Photo credit: Joost J. Bakker IJmuiden cc

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(Published to the Fediverse as: Bottled Water #etc #water #evive #concord If you ban bottled water I'll just buy a coke, which by the way is in a bottle. )

Pelicans

By Robert Ellison. Updated on Monday, January 20, 2025.

Pelicans

Photo of pelicans flying near the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.

The photograph captures a moment of avian grace as a trio of pelicans soars across the azure expanse of the sky. Their wings are outstretched, overlapping in synchronized harmony, exuding an effortless elegance as they fly in formation. Below, the iconic reddish-orange towers of a suspension bridge rise majestically against a backdrop of rolling hills, their saturated color contrasting sharply with the muted pastels of the landscape. The simplicity of the scene belies the complexity of its beauty; the pelicans, symbolic harbingers of freedom, navigate through the airy canvas above this engineered marvel of human achievement.

The image employs a dynamic composition, blending the organic movement of wildlife with the static power of the bridge architecture. The bridge's vertical lines lead the eye upward to the pelicans, creating a sense of upward movement and drawing attention to the avian subjects. The placement of the pelicans slightly off-center adds dynamic tension, enhancing the fluidity of the frame. The use of natural light accentuates the texture of the birds’ feathers and the bridge’s structure. While the clarity of the pelicans is commendable, the photo could benefit from a slightly narrower depth of field to bring even more focus to the birds and allow the background to soften, permitting a more distinct separation between foreground and backdrop. Overall, the image skillfully balances elements of nature and architecture, capturing a fleeting intersection of the wild and the crafted, of the airborne and the grounded.

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(Published to the Fediverse as: Pelicans #photo #pelicans Photo of pelicans in front of the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, California. )

Reviews and Links for April 2012

By Robert Ellison. Updated on Friday, February 24, 2017.

APIs: A Strategy Guide by Dan Woods

3/5

Works as a good checklist of the various business, legal, technical, marketing and strategic considerations you should think of when launching an API. Not a huge amount of depth in any one area though.

 

Pharmacology by Christopher Herz

4/5

A tale of legal and illegal drugs in San Francisco from the perspective of Sarah, a transplant from the mid-west in town to make money to send back to her sick father and expose the evils of the pharmaceutical industry. Reads like Sarah sat down next to you in a cafe and poured out her entire life story before you even knew what hit you.

 

Links

Interesting, but the first book I tried was wrong: http://t.co/gUPyhpjM (The Interpreter in Look to Windward)

ITHCWY: Go-arounds: LEGO and Legislative Service: LEGO: I wrote in January about LEGO's[1] misogynistic latest LEGO… http://t.co/s2PlMzGn

ITHCWY: Kindle: Figure out sorting!: I love my Kindle. Loved it since seeing the screen for the first time after… http://t.co/zimbDLpz

ITHCWY: Catfood: Cleat 1.10: I've just released an updated version of Cleat that supports geolocation and… http://t.co/SESV9VH7

4 of 5 stars to Pharmacology by Christopher Herz http://t.co/SgGZR4Lz

I still don't like the Oxford Comma, but... http://t.co/oJB50wGw

ITHCWY: Prophylactic: Absolutely no chance of scurvy tonight. http://t.co/RpX1z78M

Artist Captures Dog vs. Gopher Confrontation on Bernal Hill http://t.co/OlUgGHOG - It could be Rudy...

Graffiti - Public - Other_enter_additional_details_below/101 Elsie St San Francisco, CA 94110, USA http://t.co/c9P7xkjx #bernal-heights!

Lego tries to get less sexist http://t.co/WD9lmRuK - and previously: http://t.co/Psc5ZNua

"It’s the product development version of the Hunger Games" - http://t.co/wNA0DHWy via @uservoice

SciFi in HiFi! - Sean Young's video of the making of Dune - Boing Boing http://t.co/BXTACFpj via @BoingBoing

Shocking, but need to distinguish between standardized tests and shit standardized tests: Florida standardized... http://t.co/c8488XDw

+1: Introducing the Innovator's Patent Agreement http://t.co/naK9hYxw via @twitter

Extraordinary: The real criminals in the Tarek Mehanna case http://t.co/GOqxgIJ2

They are deadly serious about not taking photos at @#spamalotsf http://t.co/5di7viuy

JSON Formatter & Validator: http://t.co/L220TCHf

ITHCWY: California Slender Salamander http://t.co/EvNlFOnS

Patent Law 101: What’s Wrong And Ways To Make It Right http://t.co/6QnLLHL7 via @techcrunch

ITHCWY: Even Shitier - Citibank Remortgage Scam: Citibank contacted us in December offering to remortgage our house… http://t.co/mxGi3j6K

ITHCWY: Baby Yellow Spiders: A chair in our garden has produced a bumper crop of baby Cross Orbweaver spiders. Very… http://t.co/0VBjSvPq

Wow: http://t.co/N4tbm77Y Rear Window loop via @jwz

Final Plan for Bernal Hill Trail Restoration Unveiled: http://t.co/bp3uFOZu - from @bernalwood

RT @Pearldotcom: Our new site is coming soon! Get on the list to be notified about launch details: http://t.co/75ddUi63

ITHCWY: Sod Searle And Sod His Sodding Room: Marcus du Sautoy, writing on BBC News, brings up Searle's Chinese Room… http://t.co/FmcVPbzC

ITHCWY: California, I can save you billions with a small and reasonably priced computer program...: California just… http://t.co/Ro96lk3J

California, I can save you billions with a small and reasonably priced computer program... http://t.co/iDZEbAQ9 -> @JerryBrownGov

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