A dog checks out a sea-lion from the end of the pier at Fort Baker.

The photograph captures a serene moment by the sea where a sea lion glides gracefully through the shimmering water, its form slightly distorted by the ripples of the waves. In the foreground, a curious dog gazes intently at the scene from the edge of a wooden dock. The dog's fur is bathed in sunlight, casting golden hues that contrast beautifully against the cool blues of the water. The sunlight glimmers on the sea's surface, creating a sparkling mosaic that adds an enchanting touch to the overall ambiance of the photograph.

This photograph employs a candid and contemplative style, focusing on a moment of natural curiosity and interaction between two creatures. The composition follows a diagonal line created by the dock and the dog, leading the viewer's eye from the foreground to where the sea lion swims. The depth of field is shallow, with the dog in focus and the sea lion as a softened figure, emphasizing the immediate area of interest. What works well is the use of natural light to highlight textures and colors, creating a warm and inviting mood. However, the blurred sea lion could be a point of contention; while some might appreciate the focus on the dog, others might find the softened sea lion lacks the clarity that could enhance the story of the interaction.

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(Published to the Fediverse as: Sea-lion #photo #sealion A picture of a dog looking at a sea-lion from the pier at Fort Baker (while watching the Blue Angels 2016 performance). )

Dilbert creator Scott Adams recently endorsed Donald Trump. I could take it if this was just our daisyworld politics in action. But it's a horrible post that boils down to money and rationalization.

"I don’t know the best way to defeat ISIS. Neither do you. I don’t know the best way to negotiate trade policies. Neither do you."

The first plank of the argument is that he can't make a call on most issues and so he's not qualified to weigh in. Welcome to democracy. The job is to make the best choice that you can with imperfect information. If you can't do that then do the rest of us a favor and abstain.

"You can argue whether an estate tax is fair or unfair, but fairness is an argument for idiots and children."

The second plank is that he might be less well off if the estate law changes.

So now the lack of an opinion on any other issue makes sense. If you had to think about ISIS or trade (or walls or Muslims or women) then maybe a dent in your income would have to move down a position or two or fifty. But if, aw shucks, you're just not smart enough to make those calls then it's a conveniently self-serving single issue election.

All of this is true even if raising the estate tax is a bad policy. But at the risk of coming across as a child or idiot maybe there's something in it:

"Between 1979 and 2007, paycheck income of the top 1 percent of U.S. earners exploded by over 256 percent. Meanwhile, the bottom 90 percent of earners have seen little change in their average income, with just a 16.7 percent increase from 1979 to 2014."

I don't know the best estate tax policy. But Scott, neither do you.

Updated 2016-10-12 20:28:

So over the weekend he switched his endorsement to Gary Johnson. Maybe:

"You might enjoy my book because you’re not sure if I’m really endorsing Gary Johnson or just saying so to protect my brand."

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(Published to the Fediverse as: Scott Adams #politics #trump #clinton #scottadams The moment when I lost any respect for Scott Adams, Dilbert author. Who knew the PHB was the protagonist? )

It's Autumn in the Northern Hemisphere, Spring down south. Rendered in Catfood Earth (Windows, Android).

(Previously, Previously, Previously)

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(Published to the Fediverse as: Autumnal Equinox 2016 #code #earth #equinox #autumnal The exact moment of Autumnal Equinox 2016 as rendered in Catfood Earth )

Photo of a butterfly in the rainforest exhibit at the California Academy of Sciences.

This photograph captures the delicate beauty of a butterfly perched gracefully on a verdant, arching leaf. The butterfly, with its vibrant orange and black patterned wings adorned with white spots, commands attention against the lush backdrop of blurred greens. The rich, natural colors create a serene and harmonious atmosphere, with hints of dappled light filtering through the foliage, suggesting a tranquil setting within the Academy's botanical splendor. The composition directs the viewer's gaze along the sharply focused leaf, highlighting the intricate details of the butterfly's wings and slender legs, while the soft bokeh in the background evokes a sense of depth and immersion.

The photograph skillfully employs a shallow depth of field, concentrating the focus on the protagonist of the image—the butterfly—while allowing the background to dreamily dissolve into abstraction. This approach effectively isolates the subject, allowing its vibrant colors and delicate textures to stand out. The composition adheres to the rule of thirds, granting a balanced and engaging focal point through the butterfly's placement. The inclusion of various shades of green adds a refreshing vitality to the image. However, the photographer could enhance the overall impact by slightly adjusting lighting to accentuate the butterfly's colors even more. Despite this minor critique, the photograph succeeds in both technical execution and in delivering a serene and captivating glance into the beauty found at the California Academy of Sciences.

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(Published to the Fediverse as: Butterfly at California Academy of Sciences #photo #butterfly Photo of a butterfly at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco. )

I just learned that San Francisco's Recreation and Parks department plans to cut down thousands of healthy trees because they are non-native. I really don't understand this nativist movement. At one point San Francisco was part of Gondwanaland. A while before that it was a sea of super-heated plasma. We need more trees even if they were originally Australian. It's a city of transplants anyway.

San Francisco Forrest Alliance seems to be the main hub to try and shut this down. If you live here and like trees please do something. 

Here's a letter I just sent to my Supervisor:

Dear Supervisor Yee,

I am writing to voice my opposition to the plan by the Recreation and Parks Department’s Natural Areas Program to cut down 1,600 trees on Mount Davidson. I have lived in San Francisco for over sixteen years and in your district for a little over two. I regularly walk my dog and take my children to Mount Davidson. We greatly value this park for its views and forest.

Beyond Mount Davidson specifically I am horrified by the thought of felling thousands of healthy trees because they are considered to be non-native. The mission of Recreation and Parks should not be to return San Francisco to its original state. As a taxpayer and homeowner I expect to see a focus on the needs of residents and a management plan that preserves our forested areas rather than denuding them.

Maybe some of the NAP budget could be diverted to fixing up the dilapidated West Portal playground or to pay for maintenance of neighborhood trees rather than their current plan?

Yours faithfully,

Robert Ellison

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(Published to the Fediverse as: Save Mount Davidson #politics #mountdavidson #trees Don't cut down all the non-native trees, leave Mount Davidson the way it is. )

I do a fair amount of time-lapse photography as a hobby and one format I really love is the single frame time-lapse. This is where hundreds (or thousands) of images are stitched together into a single picture instead of a video. There are several examples on this blog including trippy clouds, cranes, a living room and a video which is a time-lapse of single frame time-lapses (made from 1,581,120 photos!)

Until recently I shot the frames like I would a regular time-lapse and then combined them into a single photo using some custom software. This is fairly tedious and so I've packaged up the entire process into an Android app. It can shoot from a minute to 24 hours using the front or rear camera and then saves the finished photo.

Download Slow Camera from Google Play

I have 20 free license codes for ITHCWY readers. If you'd like one just send me an email.

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(Published to the Fediverse as: Slow Camera for Android #timelapse #slowcamera #sftl Single frame time-lapse photography from one minute to 24 hours )

4K time lapse of the San Francisco side of the Bay Bridge. Shot on a gloomy Friday morning with an Alpine Radian and Sony RX100 IV. Processed with Adobe Lightroom and LR Timelapse.

(It's the first project I've completed after upgrading my upgrade-proof laptop with a 1TB SDD, some cat fur and about a half pint of blood. I'm amazed it even boots. There is a tenth circle of hell for laptop designers who decide to hide the hard drive module under two tiny ribbon cables secured with ribbon cable eating tape. And thanks for the fake screws.)

Music from Jukedeck.

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(Published to the Fediverse as: Bay Bridge Timelapse #timelapse #4k #video 4K timelapse of the San Francisco side of the Bay Bridge, black and white, gloomy )