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A scenic view overlooking the Astoria-Megler Bridge crossing the Columbia River, surrounded by lush green trees. Fog drapes the distant hills under a clear blue sky.

Nighttime cityscape of Astoria, Oregon with illuminated buildings in the foreground and the prominent Astoria-Megler Bridge spanning the Columbia River in the background, against a twilight sky.

Astoria-Megler bridge at early morning, and just past sunset. Astoria, Oregon. June, 2024.

📷 Hasselblad 500C/M
🎞️ Kodak Gold 200

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Two people walk on a sandy beach, looking at a large ship passing by on the water. Logs are scattered on the beach.

Portland, Oregon. 13th July, 2024.

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This image shows a serene marina during sunset, with sailboats and their masts prominently featured. The boats are docked, some covered with tarps. A nearly full moon is visible in the sky. Trees and a building in the background complete the picturesque scene.

The image depicts a tranquil waterside scene at sunset with floating houseboats and reflective water. There are three birds swimming in the foreground: two geese and a white duck. The houseboats and water are bathed in warm, golden light.

A sailboat on a body of water during sunset with the sun near the horizon. The sky is a mix of orange and yellow hues, with the sunlight reflecting off the water. There is a bridge and industrial structures visible in the background.

A person is crouched near a waterfront, taking a photo of the photographer. The background features a calm body of water, several geese, and a house with a tin roof. The sky is clear with a gradient from blue to orange during sunset.

Met up with my friend Tim for dinner last night, and then we took some photos by the Columbia.

📷 iPhone

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A rooftop deck with wooden flooring, metal chairs, and tables, surrounded by potted plants. The deck overlooks a body of water with a visible cargo ship in the distance. A mural depicting a similar scene is painted on a wall.

This was taken at about the same time and location as another photo I shared last week, but I only saw it recently when I received film scans.

I like this composition a lot more. The shadows balance the mural wall, there are fewer rooftops in the frame and they are below the railing, the colors better reflect the feeling of that morning on the rooftop.

The square format and the film properties work together pretty well in this case.

Astoria, Oregon. 19th June, 2024.

📷 Hasselblad 500C/M
🎞️ Kodak Gold 200

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A wooden sculpture featuring a traditional canoe design, supported by four intricately carved vertical posts, is set on a grassy hilltop. It overlooks a scenic landscape with a forested area, a river, and distant terrain under a clear sky. A rock under the canoe has carved text that reads, “Comcomly”.

Replica of Chief Comcomly’s burial canoe. Astoria, Oregon. 18th June, 2024.

📷 Hasselblad 500C/M
🎞️ Kodak Gold 200

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A collage of five photos. The first features green maple leaves against a blue sky. The second shows a close-up of a tree trunk with branches. The third depicts shaded steps with a zigzagging shadow pattern. The fourth shows shadow patterns on trees. The fifth shows a green grass near a water reservoir.

Mt. Tabor Park. Portland, Oregon. 7th July, 2024.

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I like that SwiftUI and I are at the point that I can build a small app with a UI on macOS for things that I would previously write a script.

(Link to the video embedded above).

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A rooftop deck with wooden flooring, metal chairs, and tables, surrounded by potted plants. The deck overlooks a body of water with a visible cargo ship in the distance. A mural depicting a similar scene is painted on a wall.

Astoria, Oregon. 19th June, 2024.

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A black and white photo shows several large cargo ships anchored in calm water under a sky filled with clouds. In the foreground, there are rooftops and structures, including a tall metal tower, along a shoreline.

Astoria, Oregon. 19th June, 2024.

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A panoramic view of a river winding through a lush, forested landscape with mountains in the distance. The scene includes evergreen trees in the foreground, a river with surrounding marshlands, and a small settlement along the river’s edge. The sky is clear.

Looking south from the base of the Astoria Column. 18th June, 2024.

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A modern naval ship docked by a river with a steel bridge and an urban skyline in the background. The ship is adorned with signal flags. Green trees are visible on the left side, and part of the image is blurred by an out-of-focus fence.

A river with a naval ship docked on the right side. The background features a bridge and an urban skyline with various buildings. The foreground shows railway tracks, graffiti-covered walls, and a paved pathway with people.

A military ship docked in a city harbor, with decorated flags adorning its deck. Urban buildings and a distinctive tall skyscraper are visible in the background. The water reflects the ship and buildings. The sky is partly cloudy.

USS Montgomery (LCS-8). Portland, Oregon. June, 2024.

📷 Hasselblad 500C/M
🎞️ Kodak Portra 160

and

iPhone 15 Pro

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Language Models Are About People

I like to tell people that everything an LLM says is actually a hallucination. Some of the hallucinations just happen to be true because of the statistics of language and the way we use language.

This is such an astute observation by Melanie Mitchell.

Large Language Models (LLMs) are a statistical model. So are models for the weather, or for star formation. But most laypersons, like myself are not enthralled by them because they are domain specific models requiring expertise to use.

The main reason large language models appeal to laypersons, such as myself is that they are a language model, and we’ve been utilizing languages all our lives. The way language influences thought, and thereby social interactions, makes these models so much more about people and society.

That’s incredibly more relevant, and deserves every bit more scrutiny, than a weather model telling me that I might see some clouds today if I even bother to look up.

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A colorful Ferris wheel with bright red, green, and yellow supports is set up next to a river. There is a “FUNtastic” sign on the Ferris wheel and a matching trailer nearby. Trees and a grassy area are visible around it.

An urban riverside scene with a carnival in progress. The image showcases a Ferris wheel, various colorful tents, and carnival rides, partially obscured by large trees. A calm river runs in the foreground, with a concrete embankment, and a tall building in the background. The sky is mostly cloudy.

Portland, Oregon. 25th May, 2024.

📷 Hasselblad 500C/M
🎞️ Kodak Portra 160

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A person sits on wooden steps next to a railing, facing a wooden deck and a body of water. A fishing rod is seen propped against the railing. The scene is lit by warm sunlight.

Astoria, Oregon. 18th June, 2024.

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I didn’t discover the joys of peanut butter, and in fact I hardly ever ate it, until I was in my 40s. AMA.

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Reflection of a roadway and a cloudy sky in calm water highlighted by the rising Sun.

Portland, Oregon. 9th June, 2024.

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A woman wearing a baseball cap stands in the middle of a blooming field filled with pink peonies. There are trees in the background and a cloudy sky overhead.

A man stands in a field of vibrant red peonies. The sky above is cloudy, and there are trees in the background.

Salem, Oregon. 19th May, 2024.

📷 Hasselblad 500C/M
🎞️ Kodak Portra 160

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A person is taking a self-portrait through a reflective window using a camera. They are wearing a light-colored hoodie and glasses, and a colorful, floral pattern is visible on the fabric behind them. The background shows a blurred outdoor scene with greenery.

Hi.

📷 Hasselblad 500C/M
🎞️ Kodak Portra 160

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A small potted succulent sits on a windowsill with soft sunlight filtering through a lowered window blind. The focus is on the plant, with the background gently blurred. The scene has a calm and serene atmosphere.

Officemate. 7th June, 2024.

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A dimly-lit, cozy interior of a bar with vintage chairs and tables. Soft light filters through large windows, enhancing the warm ambiance. Green hanging lamps illuminate parts of the room. A soft glow from small candles on the tables adds to the intimate feeling.

Golden hour bar. Decibel Sound & Drink, Milwaukie, Oregon. 6th June, 2024.