Inexplicably .NET 2.0, 3.0 and 3.5 are not installed by default in Windows 8 and can’t be installed using the redistributables that worked with previous versions of Windows. You have to go digging in Windows Features to get anything older than 4.0.
Like the Internet, The Wave Organ is a series of tubes. Unlike the Internet it groans at you in different ways as the tide comes in and out. It’s also a nice walk on a blustery day with great views around the bay and back over to the Marina.
(Google Earth KML, Google Maps)
Hike starts at: 37.806707, -122.446921.
(Hike Map)
(Published to the Fediverse as: Wave Organ #hike #sanfrancisco #waveorgan Hike to visit The Wave Organ in San Francisco, California. It makes an exciting variety of sounds depending on what the tide is up to. )
2/5
Good yarn, poorly spun.
Two raccoons in my back yard in Bernal Heights.
The photograph titled "Procyon lotor" captures a nocturnal scene where several raccoons roam a fenced backyard. The image is set against the backdrop of an inky night sky, the darkness interrupted only by the glowing eyes of the raccoons and the muted gleam of a nearby grill. The enclosure is defined by a weathered wooden fence draped with foliage and dotted with hints of wildness, while tufts of grass and sparse brown patches create a natural texture underfoot. In the right foreground, delicate flowers, gently coated in pale pink hues, add a tender contrast to the otherwise gritty scene, adding elements of softness and transience. The composition invites the viewer into a quiet, secret world of urban wildlife interaction.
The photograph employs a candid, documentary style, capturing spontaneity and the essence of nature's nocturnal visitors. The use of flash casts stark light, emphasizing the raccoons' shining eyes and adding an element of surprise typical of wildlife photography, though it can also create harsh shadows and flatness in some areas. Compositionally, the image effectively sets a stage with the grill slightly off-center, providing balance and visual interest, while the fence leads the viewer's eye across the scene. However, the brightness of the flash may overpower some of the finer details, such as the texture in the grass, diminishing depth. Overall, the image successfully highlights the adaptability of these creatures, presenting a charming, if slightly chaotic, night tableau.
(Published to the Fediverse as: Procyon lotor #photo #raccoon Photo of two raccoons (Procyon lotor) in Bernal Heights, San Francisco, California. )
The Golden Gate Bridge from the Marin Headlands with San Francisco in the background.
The photograph titled "GGB" captures the iconic Golden Gate Bridge stretching across the shimmering waters of the San Francisco Bay, set against the expansive backdrop of the city skyline. The deep, rusty red of the bridge contrasts vividly with the rich blue of the water and sky, creating a striking visual balance. Rolling hills adorned with verdant greenery frame the bridge from the bottom left corner, adding depth and a touch of nature to the urban scene. The cityscape in the distance appears delicate and intricate, like a skyline carved into the edge of the world, with soft clouds gently accentuating the clear blue of the sky.
The photograph employs a classic landscape composition, utilizing the rule of thirds to enhance visual interest. The bridge is strategically positioned to guide the viewer’s eye from the rich foreground towards the distant cityscape, effectively bridging the natural and man-made elements in the scene. The color contrast is a standout feature, with the complementary hues of the bridge and environment enhancing the overall visual appeal. While the photograph effectively captures the grandeur of the Golden Gate Bridge and its surroundings, it might feel slightly distant, potentially losing the intricate details and emotional intimacy that closer compositions can provide. Overall, the image offers a beautifully serene yet majestic portrayal of a world-renowned landmark.
(Published to the Fediverse as: GGB #photo #ggb Photo of the Golden Gate Bridge from the Marin Headlands, includes San Francisco in the background. )
Photo of the view from Magic Mountain in Cazadero, Sonoma.
The photograph titled "Magic Mountain" reveals a serene, mystical landscape, captured at the cusp of dawn or dusk. The scene is framed by towering silhouettes of trees, standing like sentinels against the soft, dreamlike hues of the sky. A rolling sea of fog blankets the valleys, lending an ethereal quality that suggests otherworldliness and tranquility. The distant hills peek through the mist, their forms muted and softened by the gentle lighting. This interface between the darkened foreground and the pastel expanse beyond creates a striking contrast that draws the viewer's eye into the heart of the misty valleys, inviting contemplation and a sense of peace.
The composition of this photograph embraces a classic use of framing, with the trees creating a natural window through which the viewer is encouraged to gaze. This technique adds depth and guides focus, strengthening the impact of the mist-filled valley. The horizontal orientation complements the expanse of the landscape, enhancing the feeling of endlessness in the captured scenery. The color palette of muted purples and blues imbues the image with a soothing calm, though it may risk feeling a bit subdued or flat if not viewed under optimal conditions. While the high contrast between the shadows and soft light is compelling, the lack of distinguishing features in the foreground may leave some viewers seeking more visual interest in this area. Nevertheless, the overall effect of "Magic Mountain" is one of serene beauty and quietude, capturing a fleeting moment of natural splendor.
(Published to the Fediverse as: Magic Mountain #photo #trees Photo of the view from Magic Mountain in Cazadero, Sonoma, California. )
I’d love to not care what the Church of England thinks about allowing women to become Bishops. But sadly it’s the established church of England and we allow Bishops to sit in the House of Lords (which needs a complete overhaul, that that’s a different blog post).
The Government’s position on the vote is to be “disappointed”:
A Downing Street spokesman said the prime minister thought there should be women bishops and was disappointed at the result of the vote, but that it was “a matter for the Church to decide”.
Nick Clegg is disappointing. Which Book of Prayer to use is a matter for the Church to decide. Excluding women from the upper management of the official state religion when those managers also play a role in Government is a travesty.
Unless we’re going to allow Jedi in the legislature it’s time to kick the Bishops out of the Lords. It’s also past time to disestablish the Church of England and have proper separation of Church and State in the UK.
(Published to the Fediverse as: Bishops #politics #politicalreform #bishops It's time to disestablish the Church of England for at least this reason. )
A chair sits mysteriously on Bernal Hill. It later disappeared. Like the owls.
The photograph titled "Bernal Chair" captures a solitary chair set against a bright, sunlit background, framed by the shadowy embrace of an arch formed by trees and foliage. The chair appears almost as an apparition, residing serenely in the distance amidst a grassy field. The play of light is striking: the foreground is plunged into darkness with a rich, earthy texture, while the light beyond the arch dazzles with a wide-angled brightness that suggests a bright afternoon sun, casting a halo around the foliage that delineates the arch. This composition invites an exploration of contrasts—between the hidden and the revealed, shadow and light, solitude and nature's grandeur.
The style of this photograph leans towards a naturalistic yet symbolic approach. The use of framing through the trees is a classic method that guides the viewer's eye directly to the subject, in this case, the chair, which stands as an enigmatic focal point. The contrast between the dark foreground and the bright background creates a compelling visual depth and a narrative of discovery. This technique, while effective, results in a loss of detail in the foreground due to the overpowering light in the background, which might detract from the textural richness the shadows could offer. The photograph excels in drawing attention and evoking curiosity but may benefit from a slight adjustment in exposure to balance the elemental forces within the frame, enhancing the depth without overwhelming the quintessential charm of its central subject.
(Published to the Fediverse as: Bernal Chair #photo #bernal Photo of a chair that briefly graced Bernal Hill in San Francisco, California. )
Following yesterday’s post on the California 2012 Propositions here’s a shorter post on how I’m planning to vote on the San Francisco (PDF) ballot initiatives:
A: City College Parcel Tax
Yes, happy to pay another $79 a year to support City College.
B: Clean and Safe Neighborhood Parks Bond
Yes, park improvements for a littler over $50 a year.
C: Housing Trust Fund
Yes, a modest amount of money to include affordable housing in a city that desperately needs it.
D: Consolidating Odd-Year Municipal Elections
Yes, because there are too many elections already.
E: Gross Receipts Tax
Yes, makes more sense than taxing payroll and doesn’t tax businesses until you’re over $1M in revenue (whereas the payroll tax hits pre-revenue startups).
F: Water and Environment Plan
No, this is a study on draining the Hetch Hetchy reservoir. Which is just crazy. I might not support building it today but it makes no sense to look at getting rid of it now. Plus that water is really nice.
G: Policy Opposing Corporate Personhood
Yes, because a San Francisco policy will totally reverse hundreds of years of legal precedent. More seriously, corporations are not people and while a policy won’t reverse the malign influence of unlimited corporate spending on elections it doesn’t hurt to whine about it a little.
(Published to the Fediverse as: San Francisco 2012 Propositions #politics #election #sanfrancisco #propositions Official ITHCWY voter guide to the San Francisco 2012 Propositions )
My favorite proposition would be one to do away with propositions altogether. We need Legislative Service instead. But there is an election on Tuesday and a fresh slate of propositions for California and San Francisco that need to be decided. My thoughts on the statewide propositions are:
30: TEMPORARY TAXES TO FUND EDUCATION. GUARANTEED LOCAL PUBLIC SAFETY FUNDING. INITIATIVE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT.
Yes, grudgingly. I hate that Governor Brown has a knife to our throats on this one. If it passes then we get $6 billion of extra annual revenue, largely for education. If it fails then because the revenue is already in the budget we’re looking at further evisceration. The sales tax component is regressive, I prefer proposition 38’s more balanced income tax increases across the board. I actually like that the proposition 30 money hits the general fund – I hate measures that earmark money so specifically that there is no room for maneuver. So yes on 30 and no on 38.
The arguments against proposition 30 seem to be that it isn’t specifically earmarked (which I see as a plus) and that we shouldn’t be raising more money for education and public safety while also building out high speed rail. But as the 8th largest economy in the world California should be able to mange to improve public transport and education at the same time. Both are critical to long term growth and prosperity. There is also the argument that you can’t trust government with any money or decisions and that any problem can be handled by just reducing ‘waste’. I don’t really buy that and if you do you might be better off somewhere like Nevada.
31: STATE BUDGET. STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT. INITIATIVE CONSTITUTION AMENDENT AND STATUTE.
No. ‘Local Action Plans’ would allow local government to circumvent state laws and this doesn’t seem like a great idea. Allowing the Governor to make budget cuts without the state legislature smells bad as well. Publishing bills in advance of a vote to help prevent pet projects and pork from being stuffed in sounds good, I wish it had been included as a separate proposition rather than lumped in here (in general Proposition 30 suffers from being too broad).
32: POLITICAL CONTRIBUTIONS BY PAYROLL DEDUCTION. CONTRIBUTIONS TO CANDIDATES. INITIATIVE STATUTE.
No. It’s just a naked attempt to stiff unions and further increase the corporate money stranglehold on US politics.
33: AUTO INSURANCE COMPANIES. PRICES BASED ON DRIVER’S HISTORY OF INSURANCE COVERAGE. INITIATIVE STATUTE.
No. This allows insurance companies to offer a discount based on how long you’ve been insured with another company but also allows them to punish you for a lapse in coverage. If you choose to be without a car for more than a few months you can get a large increase in coverage. It doesn’t seem that the pros outweigh the cons here and the fact that the proposition is funded by the chairman of Mercury further tips me towards a no vote.
34: DEATH PENALTY. INITIATIVE STATUTE.
Yes. I don’t care about the cost of the death penalty, or particularly in it’s effectiveness. I’m fundamentally opposed to the death penalty because I don’t think the state has any business taking life in cold blood. I also don’t think you can guarantee that you’re not executing someone who is innocent.
35: HUMAN TRAFFICKING. PENALTIES. INITIATIVE STATUTE.
No. Punishment for specific offenses shouldn’t be dictated by ballot initiative. Most of these crimes are Federal anyway and so any changes in CA law would have a minor impact (KQED reports 18 offenders in CA prison for trafficking). There is a provision expanding the definition of human trafficking to include copying child pornography… sounds great but you’ll probably end up doing 15 years hard time for backing up your teenager’s phone after they’ve been sexting.
36: THREE STRIKES LAW. REPEAT FELONY OFFENDERS. PENALTIES. INITIATIVE STATUTE.
Yes. As the law currently stands you can get life in prison for drug possession. The US really needs to stop throwing everyone in jail. Judges should have the latitude to make the sentence fit the crime and not be automatically forced to throw away the key. This proposition makes three strikes a little more humane – I’d rather see it done away with altogether but it’s a step in the right direction.
37: GENETICALLY ENGINEERED FOODS. LABELING. INITIATIVE STATUTE.
Yes. Personally I don’t really care about eating GM food, but a lot of people care very deeply and it seems reasonable to provide this information. The main argument against is sinister special exemptions but these boil down to alcohol (not labeled the same way as food to start with) and animals that have been fed GM food but are not GM themselves.
38: TAX TO FUND EDUCATION AND EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAMS. INITIATIVE STATUTE.
No. See 30, above.
39: TAX TREATMENT FOR MULTISTATE BUSINESSES. CLEAN ENERGY AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY FUNDING. INITIATIVE STATUTE.
No. I’m not really sure which way of determining how to tax multi-state businesses is best. Allowing businesses to choose which method they use doesn’t seem the right way to go. If this proposition was just about changing the tax calculation I might be in favor, but unfortunately it also funnels around half of the additional revenue to a new outfit to spend on clean energy projects over five years. As the proposition is sponsored by one hedge fund manager you’ve got to believe that there is a hedge fund posed to benefit from the extra spending.
40: REDISTRICTING. STATE SENATE DISTRICTS. REFERENDUM.
Yes. Approves the outcome of the Citizens Redistricting Commission. The backers of the proposition have withdrawn support for it (Republicans trying to throw out the new districts), it’s only on the ballot because it can’t be removed – a yes vote in this case keeps things the same.
(Published to the Fediverse as: California 2012 Propositions #politics #california #propositions #election Official ITHCWY voter guide to the California 2012 Propositions )
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