Lemmy Shitpost subspaceinterferents • 7 months ago • 82%

Ask Microsoft Paint CoCreator to draw a "human male reproductive organ" and you'll get something like this.

San Diego subspaceinterferents • 9 months ago • 91%

A group watches the surfers in the heavy surf south of Bird Rock. Photo looks south toward Point Loma/Ocean Beach. I asked a surfer returning to the shore how it was out there. He said "exhausting."

Dallas-Fort Worth subspaceinterferents • 9 months ago • 100%

Flying out from San Diego to DAL for the total eclipse with family living in Little Elm. Southwest sees us coming... . Airfares around the event are seriously jacked. It's almost like they're in it for the money.

San Diego subspaceinterferents • 9 months ago • 92%

Near the lifeguard station, 17 December 2023.

San Diego subspaceinterferents • 10 months ago • 100%

Sculpted and painted iguana carving, cut into a tree stump, at Del Mar secret spot.

San Diego subspaceinterferents • 10 months ago • 96%

The "Star of India," the oldest active sailing ship, sails into San Diego Harbor on the occasion of its 160th birthday. After a five-year activity pause, the ship set sail on a small ocean-going expedition, celebrated by the San Diego Maritime Museum.

San Diego subspaceinterferents • 10 months ago • 90%

Saw this at Vons today. The corporate beancounters at the Union-Tribune's new corporate overlords did the math and decided a fractional percent of expenses could be saved with a new, smaller print edition. Looks like the "Weekly Reader" from my childhood memories. Not sure whether to be amused, embarrassed or horrified. They should just take it out behind the barn and shoot it in the head.

San Diego subspaceinterferents • 11 months ago • 81%

They call her the little girl on a big journey. Little Amal is the 12 foot puppet of a 10 year old Syrian refugee child. She is a global symbol of human rights, especially those of child refugees. For the last few weeks, she has traveled more than 9,000 miles: 40 cities from coast to coast in the US, and 7 cities in Mexico at over 100 public events. Wherever she goes, she draws a crowd, and San Diego was no exception. Since July 2021, Amal has visited 14 countries and been welcomed by more than a million people on the street, including hundreds of artists and civil society and faith leaders, as well as by tens of millions online. Her journeys are festivals of art, music and hope that draw attention to the huge numbers of children fleeing war, violence and persecution. More at walkwithamal.org

San Diego subspaceinterferents • 11 months ago • 96%

The guys next door are driving an all-electric fun car: the Moke. This thing maxes out at about 25 mph. I don't think you'll see it on the freeway, but these guys will be patrolling Mission Beach in what they hope will be a chick magnet, or so they tell me...

San Diego subspaceinterferents • 11 months ago • 100%

...in front of the Otto Center, San Diego Zoo, Balboa Park.

San Diego subspaceinterferents • 11 months ago • 100%

Enormous 8' x 18' tile mural on the facade of the Automotive museum in Balboa Park. Artists Richard Keit and Mary Kennedy of RTK Studios in Ojai. Nice work.

San Diego subspaceinterferents • 12 months ago • 100%

We can argue for hours about the quality of the local news organization of record, the San Diego Union-Tribune. Especially after its recent purchase by a news conglomerate. But put that aside: today the U-T offers its annual Community Almanac. The site is paywalled, so you're not reading it for free online. It's not worth viewing on a mobile screen as it's formatted for print-first. Works pretty well on a big desktop screen, but I'd advise you to pay for the print edition. Get a paper copy today while they're still on the rack. :: The special edition is a stand-alone broadside, featuring detailed info on local Hiking, Camping & Outdoors, Dining, Local Murals, Theaters, Museums, Balboa Park, Beaches, and Birding. What's especially interesting is the inclusion of soft and hard data/photos on 91 local communities. Worth picking up a copy. 

San Diego subspaceinterferents • 12 months ago • 100%

SeaWorld is facing two major lawsuits over unpaid bills, including a $12 million suit from the city of San Diego for unpaid rent and a $10 million suit from Sesame Workshop for unpaid licensing fees related to Sesame Street characters at its parks. SeaWorld has struggled financially since the pandemic shut down its parks in 2020. The company argues it shouldn't have to pay full price due to the unprecedented situation. However, the city and Sesame Workshop seem unwilling to cut SeaWorld slack. Considering SeaWorld recently tried to acquire Cedar Fair, it likely has the cash but doesn't want to pay. The outcome of the lawsuits will determine if courts agree the pandemic warrants reduced payments. With over $20 million at stake, the results could significantly impact SeaWorld's finances going forward. https://www.cinemablend.com/theme-parks/seaworld-financial-trouble-second-lawsuit-unpaid-bills-sesame-street

San Diego subspaceinterferents • 12 months ago • 100%

Took the bike out to circumnavigate west Mission Bay. Rounding the bend at South Mission Beach there was a riot of volleyball nets and players. Made my way past Belmont Park on the Boardwalk heading north. Caught a super-clear sunset at Lido Ct., with a green flash coda. Life is good.

Lemmy Shitpost subspaceinterferents • 12 months ago • 94%

www.youtube.com

I have undying love for this commercial bit.

San Diego subspaceinterferents • 12 months ago • 90%

The Surfliner heading south past Del Mar just before sunset.

San Diego subspaceinterferents • 12 months ago • 100%

Nope. San Diego Zoo. Early each morning, just after the park opens, a dive team goes into the big tank at the bottom of Africa Rocks and cleans the glass from the inside. The zoo is a big place, and the upkeep is daunting.

Boost For Lemmy subspaceinterferents • 12 months ago • 88%

Of course I'm going to contribute.

San Diego subspaceinterferents • 1 year ago • 100%

I read the headline in this morning's U-T as LA JOLLA CLOSED TO PUBLIC FOR 7 YEARS and thought, "Oh hey, looks like they finally got what they wanted... ."

San Diego subspaceinterferents • 1 year ago • 95%

Despite its many problems, San Diego can be a beautiful place if you know where to look.

San Diego subspaceinterferents • 1 year ago • 100%

   

San Diego subspaceinterferents • 1 year ago • 100%

I really enjoy using and talking with A.I.s online. They seem to know a lot about a lot. In fact they have a long way to go before you can take them at their word. I was using Claude.ai, asking some questions about early film-making in California. I asked specifically about D.W. Griffith's 1916 film, Intolerance. Where was it filmed in California? I got this back from the AI: • For the Judean story, D.W. Griffith wanted an epic landscape to depict the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. • He chose Point Loma in San Diego, specifically the hills above Cabrillo National Monument. This promontory provided a dramatic cliffside overlooking the Pacific Ocean. • The tall ragged cliffs of Point Loma provided a scenic backdrop resembling the hills of Judea. The endless ocean vista evoked the biblical landscape. • Griffith built a huge life-size cross on the cliffs, with access roads constructed to bring equipment and vehicles. • Extras were dressed in period costumes to play Roman soldiers and witnesses to the crucifixion. • Filming took place over a few days in May 1916 and must have been a powerful sight with the actual crucifixion acted out on the cliffs. • The completed scene provides a grand-scale depiction of Christ's crucifixion, using the stunning natural location to heighten the drama and epic sense of this pivotal moment. • The Point Loma crucifixion scene has become an iconic sequence in Intolerance and an example of Griffith's skill in using natural locations to expand the scope of his films. • So in selecting the heights of Point Loma, Griffith found an ideal spot along the California coast to stage the spectacular crucifixion scene for his ambitious epic Intolerance. I was amazed, had never known that scene was filmed in San Diego, at Point Loma. The response was comprehensive and detailed. So just to be sure, I asked the AI if the answer was based on factual information. In so many words, it said, nope, just made it up. I told the AI I thought it was a jerk move to do that. "If you don't know for sure, just say so" I said. AI introduces a new dimension to the idea of Don't Believe Everything you Read on the Internet...

San Diego subspaceinterferents • 1 year ago • 86%

Rex's Roar: statue in front of San Diego Zoo.

San Diego subspaceinterferents • 1 year ago • 100%

If you're wondering where all the humidity and tropical flow are coming from, here's your likely suspect.

San Diego subspaceinterferents • 1 year ago • 97%

**TL;DR:** Operators of the De Anza Cove RV Resort have recently completed a cleanup and basic redevelopment of the De Anza Cove peninsula area. Public access, parking and landscape improvements have increased significantly. ... In the late 1930s to mid 1940s, the State of California granted marshlands to the City of San Diego to be held in public trust for citizens' use. However, in 1953 the City leased the land to a developer to create a tourist area and trailer park, with the City collecting a percentage of revenues. Residents moved onto the land, establishing permanent mobile homes. Non-mobile-home residents were not welcome. In 1980, the State Lands Commission found the land was not being used as mandated. The state legislature passed AB 447, giving San Diego until 2003 to transition residents and establish public use facilities. San Diego opposed losing revenue and control. The City raised lease percentages, planning to profit before turning over the land. They envisioned a hotel development. However, permanent structures on the mobile home pads made relocation difficult. Many elderly residents had limited resources. A 1978 Mobile Home Residency Law required a long process before park closures. It mandated cities to pay relocation costs. In 2003 San Diego pressured residents to quickly vacate for small payouts, waiving their rights. The City hired a firm experienced in park closures, which used coercive tactics. Residents filed lawsuits. In 2022 a court ordered the City pay $3.6 million for mismanagement and harassment. In July of 2023, the California Coastal Commission voted to allow the operators of the Mission Bay RV Resort to conduct a cleanup of the De Anza Cove peninsula and improve coastal access. The cleanup included repairing the bike/pedestrian path on the perimeter of the peninsula, creating public parking and installing signage, installation of electric vehicle charging stations, removing asbestos and abandoned mobile homes, and removal of temporary fencing, creating an open, parklike appearance to the area. You should check it out. Nice place for a walk, bike ride, or a beach chair and a cool beverage. That 70 year wait? Over.

San Diego subspaceinterferents • 1 year ago • 100%

Awesome venue — went to see Kingfish Ingram and Buddy Guy with a friend. The setting is amazing: the city over here, the bay over there, Pt. Loma in the distance. The Shell itself looks like a glowing background from a 30s musical, or perhaps that schlocky 60s scifi "Time Tunnel." But the acoustics are very good; the amplification loud and clear. Seats were comfortable but not outstanding. We had clear skies and comfortable temps — a beautiful evening. Unfortunately, the musicians weren't on their marks. While they are talented bluesmen, they mostly phoned it in, and the show ran about 30 minutes short of the advertised length.

San Diego subspaceinterferents • 1 year ago • 100%

Cruised by the South Tecolote playground site in southeast Mission Bay Park. Looks almost complete. Set to open sometime this month. Looks like more fun for the kids and their parents. Will be a nice complement to the recently opened North Tecolote playground. :: So much money is spent (or wasted) on infrastructure and necessities we never see or think about; nice to have some spending that brings gladness.

San Diego subspaceinterferents • 1 year ago • 100%

SeaWorld still owes millions of dollars for the rent they did not pay during the pandemic. City says a contract's a contract. SeaWorld says "oh, we've been such good friends for so long, let's not rock the boat." The amusement park has enjoyed record profits — it's time for them to pay up. Attached photo shows San Diego taxpayers being hung-out to dry... . [https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/seaworld-still-hasnt-paid-12-2-million-in-back-rent-payments-san-diego-city-attorney/3300526/](News Article)

San Diego subspaceinterferents • 1 year ago • 90%

What's not to like at Paris Baguette? It's the Dunkin Donuts of South Korea. I dropped in to the Kearny Mesa store. Prices tend to be somewhat above my paygrade for general snacking, but exceptions were made.

San Diego subspaceinterferents • 1 year ago • 100%

Met these three at the bottom of Africa Rocks at the San Diego Zoo a few days ago. You never know what you'll see there.

San Diego subspaceinterferents • 1 year ago • 100%

Seen at Trader Joe’s in Mission Valley.

San Diego subspaceinterferents • 1 year ago • 100%

I've been thinking lately about the rats in San Diego, with respect to the arrival of the green bins. I joke with my friends that the green organic recycle bins are part of the city's "rat proliferation program." There is really nothing funny about it. Right now, the green bins are new, the lids tight, and the rats (that are already in the local environment) can only stare longingly at the unattainable meal tickets up in the green delicatessen. But — give it a few years, and the green bins, like every big plastic bin, will crack, be damaged by the trucks, lose a lid, and generally become a rat smorgasbord. Perhaps my rat proliferation program will come to full flower after all... . • • • From the New York Times, 27Aug2023, on their rat problems: Mayor Eric Adams of New York, who often uses public appearances to reiterate that he “hates” rats, hired a rat czar this year dedicated to exterminating them. As rat hater in chief, Mr. Adams has continued the long “war on rats” that New York City mayors have waged for decades, with limited success. I’m an urban ecologist who’s studied New York City rats for 12 years, and I can say that the way the city and its residents have tried to exterminate rats, through traps and poisons, has been both ineffective and unnecessarily brutal. The black poison-bait boxes that have become a part of the urban scenery are a constant reminder that our forever war has long favored technological approaches to killing rats over population management solutions that might actually work. The real enemy is not the rats, but our own behavior. The first rats that climbed down from ships as Europeans arrived in New York Harbor thrived because there was plenty to eat on the filthy streets of the new colony. Today’s New York still has filthy streets, plus population density and aging infrastructure, making it a perfect home for its rats. The core strategy for managing these animals must be disrupting that perfect home by limiting their access to human food and buildings. Mr. Adams and Kathleen Corradi, his new rat czar, deserve credit for beginning to pursue this strategy, but it will take every New Yorker’s help to succeed. City agencies have heavily relied on using rat poison; in 2021 alone, they applied over 60,000 pounds of rodenticide poisons. From 2015 to 2021, they doubled their use of anticoagulants that kill rats by slowly causing internal bleeding. The mass deployment of poison across our streets can hurt predators up the food chain as well. It takes only one unsecured bait box to poison a curious family dog. New York City’s government has accompanied its arsenal of poisons with other macabre methods of rat extermination. Glue traps slowly suffocate their victims and classic snap traps crush their necks, sometimes without killing them immediately. While Mr. Adams was Brooklyn borough president, he showcased a bucket trap that drowns captured rats in a proprietary solution meant to preserve several rotting carcasses at once, producing a “mouse-gray stew.” Trapping and poisoning are simply no match for the biology and math of rat reproduction. It takes only a small number of survivors or migrants to replenish a population. Female rats become sexually mature in around six weeks, and in good conditions on the street, each female can give birth to two or three dozen pups a year. Each rat then lives for about a year. Scientists have developed and tried birth control baits, but they have been both too expensive and ineffective in real-world conditions. We also don’t have the data to prove that poisons and traps meaningfully reduce rat populations. The city government systematically monitors population sizes and disease threats from mosquitoes, but it does not have a similar rat program. Such data are crucial to understanding whether management efforts are succeeding beyond annual or seasonal fluctuations in rat populations, but few cities systematically collect such data. Complaints to the city’s 3-1-1 service phone line are often used as a proxy for changes in rat numbers, but these figures are highly imprecise because they depend on neighborhood norms and self-reported data. If you’re seeing rats every day, are you going to keep calling 3-1-1? Given these failures, should we even bother trying to contain New York’s rat population? Beyond carrying disease and chewing through buildings and vehicles, the spread of rats around a city reflects racial and socioeconomic inequality, with rats thriving in poorer neighborhoods with older buildings. Their presence degrades the local quality of life as rat infestations exacerbate mental health problems among residents. In my lab’s research, we found that rats have their own genetic “neighborhoods” that loosely map onto human ones. Rats usually stay close to their birth place, often traveling a few city blocks at most. In Midtown Manhattan, better trash pickup through business improvement districts has created rat food deserts, so fewer rats live there. We should prioritize strategies that target the way rats live in the city over responding in a scattershot manner to complaints. Ms. Corradi, who was hired in part for her “general aura of badassery,” has already pushed the city’s rat management policy in the right direction. She has experience implementing policies that reduce food waste in New York City schools. The Sanitation Department commissioner, Jessica Tisch — who famously declared that “the rats don’t run this city. We do.” — shares Ms. Corradi’s zeal. Together, they are working to mandate more secure garbage containers, enhance trash pickups in targeted neighborhoods and remove food from the normal waste system through compulsory municipal composting. However, government programs and other top-down initiatives can do only so much. Piling plastic bags on the street will always work against our efforts to manage rats. For rats to go away, everyone in the city — plus our restaurants, schools, grocers — must be willing to address the fundamental issue of food waste. New Yorkers waste roughly 6.5 million pounds every day, which amounts to as much as a pound per person. To really have fewer rats, New York norms of takeout and eating outside would have to change. An adult rat can be healthy and reproducing with just an ounce of food gleaned daily from greasy wrappers, napkins or food containers. But better trash collection can go a long way, because underfed female rats will simply have fewer offspring. New York will continue to have an uphill battle in managing its rat populations. Climate change has turned the city into a humid subtropical zone, allowing rats to breed for longer periods every year and to grow as a threat to our health and quality of life. New York’s infrastructure will continue to deteriorate, creating the tiny spaces rats use as nesting sites and travel corridors. Ending the forever war on rats will be long and challenging, but we must start by focusing on our behavior, not theirs. • • •

San Diego subspaceinterferents • 1 year ago • 100%

Sunday/Monday... Gonna be a wet one.

San Diego subspaceinterferents • 1 year ago • 100%

**TL;DR: **The author describes taking their first and last ride on the new Pacific Beach "Beach Bug" Shuttle, a service aimed at easing congestion issues in the beach community. Despite finding the summoning process easy and driver friendly, the author felt unsafe riding in the small, slow vehicle without seatbelts or airbags among fast zooming cars. Concerned about the implications of an accident on the shuttle, the author decided to walk home and avoid taking the shuttle again. ... I finally took my first ride on the Pacific Beach "Beach Bug" Shuttle a few days ago. It will also be my last ride. Here's why... In concept, it's a really cool transportation solution for a congested area. Traffic and parking in P.B. is generally challenging, and wholly terrible on weekends and all days June-July-August. Just passing through the place is taking your life in your steering wheel gripping hands. I've been driving there since before there was dirt, have had numerous close calls, and seen myriad instances of outrageous drivertainment. So the BB Shuttle sounds great. It was launched with much fanfare in July ’23 by the local pols, covered by local news media. I installed the app on my phone, and summoned the vehicle. The process works a lot like ordering an Uber/Lyft. You can track the approaching vehicle on a map, and receive estimates of arrival time. The shuttle will be free for the first three months and then cost $2.50 for most riders, which will give them all-day access. I watched my ride approach, right on time and hopped in. The driver was friendly and talkative. "How's business?" I asked. He told me it was booming and the shuttle was popular. We made our way out to Ingraham and headed north. Cars were zooming around us; the shuttle has a top speed of only 25 mph. "People honk at me and flip me off because they think I'm not going fast enough," said the driver. As we sped along, I realized that I was out in traffic, sans-seatbelt or airbags, in an occasionally hostile environment, in a tiny, underpowered vehicle. I've almost been T-boned twice in my car (at Grand and Jewell), and I considered the implications of an accident of that type in this shuttle. I'd likely be knocked like a golf ball into the next world. I disembarked at Trader Joe's, did some shopping and decided to walk back home. I enjoyed the ride and the experience, but considering the ultimate hazards, next time I'll walk to Traders.

San Diego subspaceinterferents • 1 year ago • 100%

Tropical Storm Eugene, about 560 miles to the southwest, at 7:01 pm tonight (8Aug23). A little muggy, cloudy, rainy, for a few days... then back to summer.

San Diego subspaceinterferents • 1 year ago • 83%

Outside my kitchen door at dawn this morning. Hello August.

San Diego subspaceinterferents • 1 year ago • 100%

On July 1, a slate of new laws goes into effect in California that will tighten regulation of the firearm industry, codify a new state holiday and seal criminal records. Here’s a brief overview of the legislation that becomes operative Saturday: Civil suits against firearms makers AB 1594, the Firearm Industry Responsibility Act, creates a new firearm industry standard of conduct and makes it easier for Californians to bring firearm retailers to civil court. Firearm dealers will be required to establish and enforce practices that prevent the sale of guns to traffickers, people prohibited from firearm possession under state or federal law and people who a retailer would have reasonable cause to believe is a risk to themselves or others. The new law, signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom a year ago, also prohibits the manufacturing, marketing, importing or offering for sale any gun deemed “abnormally dangerous.” Victims of gun violence, public officials and the Attorney General can file civil lawsuits against firearm industry members for violations of the standard of conduct. Sealing old criminal records SB 731 will allow almost all convictions on a person’s criminal record to be permanently sealed if they’ve served all terms of incarceration and have been conviction-free for at least four years since. Eight million Californians currently have an arrest or conviction on their record. An estimated 225,000 will have old convictions automatically sealed on July 1. One million more will be eligible to petition a judge for a seal. The law’s proponents see it as a way to help people with criminal records regain employment. People will not be able to seal convictions for sex crimes. Other new California laws AB 2011, the Affordable Housing and High Road Jobs Act of 2022, and SB 6, the Middle Class Housing Act of 2022, streamline construction of affordable, multifamily housing developments on areas zoned for office, retail or parking use. The laws also bolster health benefits and wage laws with construction contractors. AB 1655 comes two weeks too late — the new law adds June 19, or Juneteenth, as a California state holiday. California state offices and courts were notably open this Juneteenth, though the day was declared a federal holiday for the first time this year. AB 1667, prohibits CalSTRS, the state teachers pension, from requiring teachers to pay back overpayments detected in audit reports. In the past, retired teachers have had to pay back benefits when audits found them to be miscalculated. SB 301 aims to crackdown on the online sale of stolen goods. Starting July 1, “high-volume third-party” sellers will be required to provide data including contact information and bank account numbers. AB 2960 allows people in California to request and petition for a restraining order related to domestic violence or gun control electronically. AB 2043 requires California bounty hunters to be licensed, trained and registered. The new law sprouted from advocacy from a family whose son was killed by a man illegally working as a bounty hunter in Palm Springs in 2021. This story was originally published June 28, 2023, 5:00 AM. Author Grace Scullion is a breaking news and politics reporter for The Sacramento Bee. She previously covered health policy at Politico and local news at the Half Moon Bay Review. She graduated with degrees in American studies and data science from Stanford University. [Source](https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article276773911.html)

San Diego subspaceinterferents • 1 year ago • 100%

Green flash sunset from Ocean Beach. I've seen 5 or 6 of them in a lifetime of watching. Best one was from Mt. Soledad. Went up there to watch a full moon rise to the east, turned around to watch the sunset and got the flash. Amazing moment. (Photo by Chris Mannarino)

San Diego subspaceinterferents • 1 year ago • 93%

I stopped to get gas at the Costco in Morena today. The line was short, so I was jazzed about that. As I waited, I noticed a couple of people wearing orange/yellow vests walking up to the cars in line. I assumed they were Costco employees since they had clipboards and were talking to drivers. But it soon became clear these weren't employees at all, but some kind of solicitors. They were going car to car, which held up the lines and distracted people from pulling up to the open pumps. I'm not sure why Costco didn't ask them to leave. Don't be fooled by these guys. Costco put up signs saying no soliciting allowed, in response... General bummer.