"OK, yes, there are times when modals make sense (compose new tweet comes to mind), but if the web has a bigger annoyance than this (apart, possibly, from autoplay video), I don't know what it is."
Please enjoy the irony of trying to read this article on a mobile phone while the text shifts crazily around the page to make room for the autoplay video ad.
By Robert Ellison. Updated on Saturday, January 18, 2025.
Cataract Creek on Mount Tamalpais in Marin, California (long exposure photo).
Cataract Creek
The photograph titled "Cataract Creek" transports the viewer into a serene woodland setting where the raw beauty of nature is unspoiled and quietly majestic. A fallen log, vibrantly adorned with a carpet of lush moss, arches gracefully across the creek. The stream, with its gentle, meandering flow, is delicately blurred, capturing the essence of movement and tranquility. Rocks, in varying shades of gray and brown, are scattered along the water's path, serving as sentinels of time and elements. The muted colors are punctuated by the living green of the moss, breathing life into the scene, while the dappled sunlight filters through the overhead canopy, adding a soft glow to the composition.
In terms of composition, the photograph excels in its utilization of the natural arch created by the log to frame the creek view below. The use of leading lines, primarily the edges of the creek and the alignment of the rocks, guides the viewer's eye fluidly from the foreground to the background, ensuring a cohesive visual journey. The choice of a slow shutter speed to create the silky water effect is a testament to the photographer's consideration of texture and atmosphere, enhancing the feeling of peace and continuity. However, the photograph slightly lacks in offering a distinct focal point, which makes the eye wander without a definitive rest. While the overall harmony of colors and elements is admirable, the absence of contrast or a single striking feature might leave some viewers yearning for a touch more drama or visual tension in an otherwise serenely composed scene.
By Robert Ellison. Updated on Saturday, January 18, 2025.
Photo from the Interior Green Belt on Mt. Sutro in San Francisco, California.
Photo Critique: Green Belt
"Green Belt" presents an enchanting woodland scene where towering trees stretch skyward, their trunks cloaked in a vibrant tapestry of green ivy. Sunlight filters gently through the canopy, casting an ethereal glow that dances among the foliage. The trees stand like ancient sentinels, their limbs draped in nature's finest textures, with the backdrop of a bright blue sky peering through. The forest floor is a rich mosaic of leaves and undergrowth, adding layers of depth and life to the composition. The overall atmosphere is serene and timeless, capturing the essence of a lush, untouched landscape that invites viewers to explore its depths.
The photograph employs a vertical composition that accentuates the height and grandeur of the trees, emphasizing the upward reach towards the heavens. This choice of framing creates a sense of depth and scale, drawing the viewer's eye through the layers of greenery to the sky above. The use of natural light is skillful, with the photographer capturing the soft interplay of light and shadow, which adds to the mystical quality of the scene. However, the bright areas in the sky are slightly overexposed, potentially distracting from the lush details of the foreground. Overall, the composition effectively conveys a sense of tranquility and majesty inherent in nature, though a touch more balance in the exposure would enhance the viewing experience.
Stories of Your Life was made into Arrival, and it's a great story but just one of many in this book. Only one fell flat for me. Ted Chiang has a thought and then takes it so devastatingly literally that it will take you a while to stop thinking about it.
The End Has Come (The Apocalypse Triptych, #3) by John Joseph Adams
4/5
A cunning ploy - like most sets of short stories this is a mixed bag. The sting in the tail is that most continue in some form through all three books in the series so you have to read all three (if you have trouble not finishing a story, there isn't an executive order or anything). It's probably more of an investment than the material warrants (I'd have preferred a single and more tightly edited volume). It does however include a new strand of the Wool saga as well as a few other standouts so if you have the time, dive in.
I'll ease off a bit and try something else in March. But the routine of doing something every day has been really helpful. I've gone from saying I really should do something to actually getting in the habit of actively resisting.
(Published to the Fediverse as:
Drone School #etc#video Drone School - how not to fly a drone. Gluing on a camera might have affected the center of gravity.)
"Software called DeepCoder could allow non-coders to simply describe and idea for a program and let the system build it"
Coding is nothing but simply describing an idea for a program. As simply as possible but no simpler. Won't be really useful without an AI product manager.
Once you've noticed the Corporate Goddesses you can't un-see them, a set of sculptures by Muriel Castanis at 580 California in San Francisco.
The photograph, titled "Corporate Goddesses," captures the imposing presence of three statues that grace the rooftop of a modern office building. These statues, each a depiction of a robed goddess, seem to preside over the cityscape with an air of timeless authority. Their imposing figures are set against a backdrop of clear blue sky, enhancing their ethereal presence. The building itself features a sleek facade, punctuated by glass panes and cylindrical columns that lend an air of modern sophistication. The statues stand prominently atop, their forms highlighted by the contrasting shadow and light created by the sun’s angle.
The composition of this photograph is striking, utilizing a low-angle perspective to emphasize the grandeur and mystique of the statues. This choice enhances the viewer's sense of awe, making the statues appear larger than life. The alignment of the building’s architectural lines draws the eye upwards, leading to the statues that punctuate the composition perfectly. I admire the way the clean lines of the building's structure harmonize with the complex forms of the statues, creating an intriguing juxtaposition of modern and classical elements. However, the image could benefit from a tighter crop to eliminate some of the empty sky, focusing more on the architectural details. The exposure is well handled, capturing the stark vision of stone against azure sky, though a sharper focus might highlight the intricate details of the goddess statues more effectively.
(Published to the Fediverse as:
Corporate Goddesses #photo#sanfrancisco Photo of three of the Corporate Goddesses, Muriel Castanis sculptures in San Francisco, California.)
By Robert Ellison. Updated on Wednesday, February 22, 2017.
Catfood Weather is a free taskbar based weather forecast app for Windows that includes a seven day forecast and severe weather alerts. It uses National Weather Service data and works for any US location (by ZIP code or latitude and longitude).
This update fixes a problem calling the National Weather Service API, so please install 2.30 if you're using a previous version of Catfood Weather. To get alerts for new releases follow the RSS Feed or sign up to the ITHCWY Newsletter.
(Published to the Fediverse as:
Catfood Weather 2.30 #code#weather Free taskbar based weather forecasts for Windows. Hover for current conditions, click for a seven day outlook and you get automatic severe weather alerts. US locations by ZIP or latitude/longitude only.)
