I've been away for a while. Life took an unexpected turn, I learned some hard lessons, and came away with a better understanding of myself and the people around me. Grateful for the growth, and glad to be sharing things again.

I did a solo late season 3 night backpacking trip up in Glacier NP this Sunday through Wednesday. 38 miles, climbing up and over two passes, topping out at ~7500 feet at Boulder Pass. Temps in the low 30s to mid 60s with some rain and snow mixed in.

This view is looking down the Bowman Creek valley. I started at the end of that fjord like lake way off in the distance.
Interestingly, there was a distinct lack of large mammals along the way, but that's ok, I've seen enough grizzlies for a lifetime. I did see 2 bald eagles, 2 beaver, a million little chipmunks, and a few tiny little voles.

Oh, there was also a really scary part of the trail in a tight couloir with a near sheer drop off right around 1800 feet. From someone who has an extreme fear of heights, I'll give myself a gold star for making it on through, but then again, I didn't really have much other choice.

source: https://www.tumblr.com/groovela...

https://www.tumblr.com/whitepeo...

#retrowork #noAI

Source: https://jackcheng.com/2026...

source: https://infosec.exchange/@i0null...

Horrible Oregon politician loves AI slop

and WOMEN INOMEM

https://bsky.app/profile...

this is how it's done, people

"Freeman, who worked at the hospital at the time, told hospital investigators she did not agree with federal immigration officials “separating people from their families” and that she “was going to set him free”, the FBI complaint says. The undocumented man had still not been caught by the time she was charged in August."


https://www.theguardian.com/us-news...

It's been 3 years since the highly successful MSP Shkp (and associated Mike Watt concert). On my way home I found this gem of a hot dog stand on the banks of the Mississippi in WI.

source: https://www.tumblr.com/curatoro...


more: https://youtu.be/UHDwQ6FuWCs

Here’s a dog. Titan.

source: https://www.laphamsquarterly.org/roundtab...

Abolition Teapot, by Josiah Wedgwood & Sons, c. 1760. Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery.

this is from a terrific set of street photography shot on Hollywood Boulevard: https://www.reddit.com/r...

“The Sedlec Ossuary is a small Gothic church in the Czech Republic.  It is adorned with the bones of some 40,000 people (some say up to 70,000), most of them victims of the Black Death.“

source: https://www.tumblr.com/curatoro...

We're playing a show tonight (at Pilllar in Mpls) and i remembered this photo from our last show, when our lead guitarist made a reminder for himself.

I grabbed this from the Fangoria website:

https://www.fangoria.com/best-hor...

Looks like the original is from the back page of the Trick or Treat Studios
catalog:

https://online.fliphtml5.com/kvuxs...

Source: https://www.instagram.com/sseongryul/

I am horrified by the alleged gang rape of a student at Cornell University by members of a fraternity. The fact that the local district attorney's office didn't think her original complaint in 2024 was worth investigating, and the DA is still engaging in victim blaming even as he reopens the case under pressure is disgusting.
https://www.bbc.com/news...

Yep.

https://www.aiweirdness.com/botober-...
#botober

artist: maria jesus contreras
artist’s site:
https://www.mariajesuscontreras.com/

via Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/p...

Some small finishing details to do, but it's a complete working bass now. I only have an hour of playing on it so far, but i like it - it's comfortable to play and at least on my little practice amp sounds great.

The project started with the pickup, a re-creation of the gold foil pickups used on 1960s Harmony (and some other) basses. I bought the neck from an eBay seller but modified it a bit for my preferences and to fit the body. The body i built from scratch, it's sapele and maple, with a very thin amber varnish finish. Body shape is a fairly close copy of an aluminum-necked Kramer bass. There's only 1 knob for volume, there's a static tone circuit that's the same as if the tone knob was always turned fully up.

I'll have the first band practice with it tonight, and will probably let it settle in a bit before bringing it to shows. I'm really pleased with how it turned out, just what i was hoping for when it was still just a graph paper drawing earlier this summer.

Full project writeup with many more photos here:
http://bill.fidean.net/projects...

Aesculus hippocastanum puts on quite a show.

(First shot was taken April 14th, last one was today)