Max Pictures’ Blather

…near the Davis Amtrak station. Yeah, I know, a shot like this is pretty tired. But, I’m a pretty tired person.

You may have noticed this photographic effect where a narrow band of an image is in focus but the rest is blurred. It makes the scenes in the photos look like they’re of miniature scale models. This is called the tilt-shift effect and it can be achieved photographically using a tilt-shift lens. But you can […]

…in the lounge car.

I’ve finally figured out why Jack seems pissed off all the time. No coffee. I know the Tail Section gang have been trapped on the island sans café for over three months (this is in the island timeline) but who’s to say how long the withdrawal effects from caffeine last? I know I’m pretty grumpy […]

…ING (IN THE LOUNGE CAR). Or anywhere else on the train, for that matter. The only place you’re subjected to smoke on the train is if you’re in the first car behind the locomotive. That’s like being stuck behind an old school bus on a one-lane road. Whew, diesel.

…at the Downtown Berkeley BART station. This photo is actually from last week, but I saw the pay phones on the way home today, so I believe this all still applies.

No, this is not a reminder to you that filing an extension is not the same as filing your taxes. This is a reminder to keep an eye on animation from For Tax Reasons. Okay, I’ve never mentioned For Tax Reasons before, so this isn’t actually a reminder. Anyway, here’s the most recent film they’ve […]

…through a train window, as usual. It’s the Carquinez Strait, to be precise. Sometimes I see the sunrise on the way to work and find it awe-inspiring. Other times I just find it tiring. Today it’s tiring. Happy Monday.

…and looking down the tracks. At the Richmond Amtrak platform. The tracks lead southeast to Berkeley, Emeryville, and Oakland. Further down the line are San Jose, Santa Barbara, and Los Angeles.

The forces of nature this spring seem to have launched an all-out attack on my upper respiratory system by unleashing invisible waves of pollen, spores, and other microscopic particles solely designed to make my sinuses uncontrollably itch. In search of relief, I have dug through the contents of our most recent Hanso Foundation supply drop, […]