Book reviews for November 2015
The Annihilation Score (Laundry Files, #6) by Charles Stross
3/5
Too much flat pack furniture assembly, not enough slaying of eldrich horrors. Also I miss Bob.
3/5
Too much flat pack furniture assembly, not enough slaying of eldrich horrors. Also I miss Bob.
360 degree timelapse from the top of Twin Peaks in San Francisco.
(Published to the Fediverse as: Twin Peaks 360 4K #timelapse #4k #360 #video 360 degree 4K resolution timelapse shot from the top of Twin Peaks in San Francisco )
Photos of gray whales at Waddell Beach in California.
This photograph captures a serene and mesmerizing scene at Waddell Beach, where the expanse of the ocean meets the vast sky. The gentle break of the water's surface reveals the presence of majestic gray whales, with a distinctive spout and a glimpse of a fin rising gracefully from the waves. The background is alive with a multitude of seabirds, creating a dynamic contrast against the calm sea and lending a sense of movement and life to the composition. The soft light bathes the entire scene in warm tones, revealing the subtle textures of the water as it merges with the horizon, where the sky is a canvas of pale, echoing tranquility.
The style of this photograph leans toward a minimalist and naturalistic approach, focusing on the beauty of untouched wildlife and the poetry of nature’s simplicity. The composition follows the rule of thirds, with the horizon line placed in the upper part of the frame, emphasizing the ocean's wideness. The spout and fin act as visual focal points, drawing the viewer's eye across the breadth of the image. I appreciate the quiet elegance of the photograph and the mood of peace it evokes. However, there could be a little more clarity and sharpness in capturing the details of the whales and birds. Enhancing these elements might add depth and a sense of immediacy to the viewer's experience.
(Published to the Fediverse as: Gray Whales at Waddell Beach #photo #whales Several photos of gray whales at Waddell Beach in California. )
A timelapse where each photo has been reduced to just its average color. Extreme pixelation if you will. The image above is the average of the averages. I imagine this is how a bristlecone pine experiences a day. Need to try this again in the summer I think when it might be a slightly less depressing hue.
(Published to the Fediverse as: The color of yesterday #timelapse #yesterday #video Timelapse where each photo has been reduced to its average color. )
I have crunched the numbers and calculated the average length of blog posts on I Thought He Came With You vs. how many children I had at the time the post was written.
(Published to the Fediverse as: Correlation is not causation but... #etc #blog #ithcwy Statistically insignificant study of blog post length vs. number of children here on I Thought He Came With You. )
Updated 2015-11-21 13:26:
Updated 2015-11-23 15:50:
Photos of plaques in The Presidio of San Francisco.
The photograph titled "Presidio Plaques" captures an antiqued plaque set against a textured surface. The metal plaque, weathered and bearing a sense of history, is meticulously inscribed with information about the Old Stone Powder Magazine. The black lettering stands prominently against the bronze-like backdrop, providing details about its construction by the U.S. Army and the materials used from earlier Spanish or Mexican structures, dating back to the period of 1847-1863. The plaque was presented by the Presidio Society, Inc. in 1958, adding a touch of historical significance. The surface of the plaque is adorned with small decorative elements in each corner, enhancing its vintage aura.
The composition of this photograph is straightforward, focusing directly on the plaque itself. This direct approach ensures that the viewer's attention is immediately drawn to the text and its historical significance. The lighting casts subtle shadows over the raised lettering, adding depth to the flat surface and emphasizing the inscriptions. However, the bright areas from reflections can be slightly distracting and obscure some parts of the text. The plaque is aligned centrally within the frame, adhering to a balanced compositional style that suits the subject's formal and historical nature. I appreciate the clear, unobstructed view of the plaque, yet a slight angle could have reduced the reflective glare, enriching the texture and legibility of the text.
(Published to the Fediverse as: Presidio Plaques #photo #map #presidio A photo collection of plaques found in and around The Presidio of San Francisco, California. )
I started with Blogger many years ago. It worked well for a while and then it didn't. I forget why but I wrote a tool to migrate from Blogger to BlogEngine.net.
BlogEngine.net was good for a while, but I never loved the commenting system. I switched to Disqus and I wrote a tool for that as well.
Then Disqus decided to monetize more aggressively than I liked, and I moved on to Facebook comments. Having used these for a while I have come to the conclusion that most people just hate Facebook comments. They're convenient but not many people use them. Also, pages just load much faster without all the Facebook JavaScript. So today I'm switching to home grown manually moderated comments. Just about every comment ever left on this blog has made it from Blogger to BlogEngine.net to Disqus and finally the new system, even the nasty ones. I'll moderate to cut out spam but never dissent. Enjoy!
(Published to the Fediverse as: Commentary #etc #comments #blogger #disqus #facebook The evolution of comments on ITHCWY. From Blogger, BlogEngine.net, Disqus, Facebook and then finally I give up and write and moderate my own system. )
Microsoft you are literally killing me. Please tell me there is a reason.
Windows 10 has had a reorg of notifications. People in Redmond have spent quality time thinking about how and when to bother me. User experiences have been imagined, focus grouped, re-imagined, tested, pushed out to beta, revised, polished and finally shipped in a heaping turd of time wasting.
After one of the never ending reboots following some critical update or other I get a nice popup to let me know that updates were installed:
I'm not sure this is the most important news I'll read all day but fine, thank you and I click the little x to dismiss.
Windows at this point knows that it's told me about the updates, and it knows that I've seen the message because I took the time to actively dismiss it.
So why is this now in the Action Center:
I have to acknowledge my latest helping of updates all over again. It's the sort of double confirmation I'd really value before inadvertently nuking Belgium but for pretty much anything I've ever seen in Action Center it's overkill. It's causing the most anger I've had with an Operating System since I had to Google how to shut down Windows 8.
Windows 10 is on 110 million devices. Assuming a reboot a week and three seconds per device spent dismissing the extra message we're looking at a cost of $28 million a year (at US GDP). Microsoft has said it expects a billion Windows 10 devices in 2-3 years. Even at global average GDP that's $64 million down the drain.
It's not a quirky design decision, it's a class action lawsuit waiting to happen.
Smart people must have spent time on this. Please tell me why?
(Published to the Fediverse as: Updates were installed... #etc #microsoft #update #windows Why does Windows 10 make you dismiss notifications twice? Genuinely, if you know leave a comment. I'm curious. )
3/5
Everything you need in a Reacher book, and nothing you don't. Too well oiled.
Photo of downtown San Francisco seen through a crack in the rocks at Corona Heights Park.
The photograph titled "Corona Heights" presents a striking juxtaposition between nature and urban life. In the foreground, the rugged, earthy textures of rock formations demand attention with their intricate veins and rich brown hues. These stones appear sharply in focus, suggesting a sense of durability and permanence. Beyond the rocks lies a cityscape, softly blurred into the background, hinting at its identity with towering structures and a faint skyline hinting at the expanse of an urban landscape. The gradient of the sky transitions smoothly from a deep azure above to a lighter horizon, suggesting a bright, clear day.
The composition of this photograph skillfully utilizes depth of field to create a layered visual narrative. The sharply focused rocks in the foreground provide a textural contrast to the softly blurred city, emphasizing the difference between the organic and man-made. This use of selective focus serves to draw the viewer's attention first to the tactile qualities of the rock before allowing their gaze to wander into the more distant, ethereal blur of the city. The overall framing heightens this contrast and maintains balance within the image. The rich colors in the foreground contrast beautifully with the cool blues of the sky and the muted tones of the city. What I particularly like about this photo is its clever play on perception, inviting reflection on the balance between natural and urban environments. However, some viewers might find the degree of blur in the background slightly distracting, as it hinders immediate recognition of the cityscape.
(Published to the Fediverse as: Corona Heights #photo #sanfrancisco Photo of Sa Francisco from Corona Heights Park in San Francisco, California. )
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