One School to Rule Them All

I debated with myself about whether or not to share the Featured Image. The photographic slide, from my father’s selection of hundreds—maybe thousands—is among the grittiest. There is even a hair there. But something about the dirt and vintage (circa 1973) adds an air of authenticity at a time when people use Artificial Intelligence to create unauthentically authentic art. (You get the point, yes?)

My father, uncle, and aunts would have attended this schoolhouse in Woodland, Maine. My grandmother was a teacher’s aide there, unless I am mistaken. I know she worked at a school somewhere. Washburn, if not?

Photo by Joe WilcoxMar 12, 20268:52 pm

What the Hell Happened Here?

I regard Meade and Mississippi as the most dangerous intersection in the village of University Heights. Countless car crashes occur with too much frequency there. My speculation: Cause has something to do with human nature related to impatience. Drivers go from Monroe to Mission, which is a short block to Meade. If driving from Adams to Madison, there is yet another stop sign. They’re ready to go and tired of stopping at every intersection..

Meanwhile, on either side of Mississippi are traffic circles along Meade at Alabama and Louisiana. Traffic slows, and drivers are sometimes—if not often—confused about right of way. Many of them speed up as they approach Mississippi, where antsy drivers wait to enter an intersection where oncoming traffic may move more brisky than anticipated—and from two directions, simultaneously.

Photo by Joe WilcoxMar 11, 20269:40 pm

The Cats of University Heights: Wiley

Along Panorama Drive on Feb. 4, 2026, my wife spotted this fine feline, whom I pursued with the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra. The shorthair stalked something, and from the sounds of things several birds—none of which would ever be in reach. Nivkname: Wiley.

Vitals for the Featured Image: f/3.4, ISO 32, 1/132 sec, (synthetic) 230mm (digital and optical zoom); 10:23 a.m. PST.

Photo by Joe WilcoxMar 10, 20269:33 pm

Big Bear Hug for Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra

Second day impressions of Samsung’s flagship smartphone are much better than the first. I found the somewhat reduced antiglare coating to be more than sufficient, combined with auto-screen brightness, for using the device outdoors on another sunny San Diego afternoon.

The S26 Ultra feels better in the hand than its predecessor. Differences are subtle but noticeably pleasing. So far, battery life is exceptional. I started setup around 12:30 p.m. PDT yesterday. That process, which can continue for many, many hours, is a notorious battery drain. Yet, at around 7:30 p.m. tonight, when I decided to recharge for the first time, battery level was still about 30 percent.

Photo by Joe WilcoxMar 9, 202610:17 pm

I skewer Samsung’s Smartphone Flagship

The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra arrived this morning, about two days ahead of official availability. Already, a few design decisions rile me, and they could possibly be dealbreakers. Hopefully, they won’t be.

In my September 2014 analysis “In Good Design, Balance of Benefits is Everything“, I explain the importance of features, and the benefits they deliver, working well together without detracting from one another nor diminishing a device’s most fundamentally essential functions. If, for example, the new thingy takes away battery longevity—and that’s a customer priority—the digital device is unbalanced.

Photo by Joe WilcoxMar 8, 20269:50 pm

Pelican Party

I spent some time helping out my daughter’s friend this afternoon. A bit of chaos descended last week. While he was at the hospital for treatment of an injury, San Diego parking enforcement towed the larger of two RVs, which was his domicile along with our daughter. Reason: The vehicle parked in the same location for more than 72 hours, which caused it to be classified as derelict. For sure, because he was injured.

They were in transition from a 37-footer to something little more than 20 feet long. As Voice of San Diego explains: “Cops Crack Down on RV Living“, and it’s the big ones they primarily target. A day or two later, and our daughter’s friend wouldn’t have lost so many personal belongings in the tow-job. (Shall we just call it theft?)

Photo by Joe WilcoxMar 7, 20269:25 pm

There’s No Mending This Broken ARM

I love the battery life, design, performance, and weight of Samsung Galaxy4 Edge, which I acquired in June 2024. But software compatibility is a sticking point nearly two years later. The laptop packs the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite X1E-84-100 processor. Not all applications—too few, actually—run natively om the ARM architecture.

In contrast, compatibility is nearly universal for Windows 11 on x86 chips. Intel’s newest microprocessors are more competitive with ARM, particularly enabling long battery life. Samsung releases new Panther Lake laptops on March 11, 2026, and I seriously consider getting one. ARM is broken for too many applications.

Photo by Joe WilcoxMar 6, 20268:27 pm

These Eyes

Sitting on the couch, working on Samsung Galaxy4 Edge, I look up and over the screen Cali stares back. She wants on my lap and the computer off it. Look at that face of challenge and jealousy. If looks could kill, I would for sure be a goner.

I used Galaxy S25 Ultra for the Featured Image, tonight. Vitals: f/2.4, ISO 1600, 1/30 sec, 70mm (film equivalent); 7:58 p.m. PST.

Photo by Joe WilcoxMar 5, 20268:43 pm

Night Sight Street Test

I don’t showcase Google Pixel 10 Pro XL often enough. That demands remedy. So, tonight, I took the smartphone out onto one of the streets here in my San Diego neighborhood of University Heights for a quick go: Four shots of various compositions, and the first is the Featured Image. One capture could have been enough.

Vitals: f/1.7, ISO 34, 1/13 sec, 24mm (film equivalent); 8:01 p.m. PST. I had to hold the phone high over my head (look at the shadow), which risked camera shake blur. But the photo—automatically captured in Night Sight mode—is sharp enough.

Photo by Joe WilcoxMar 4, 20269:03 pm

For the King of the Throne

Oddly, we are not done with cats. Unexpectedly, once again, the topic turns to fancy litter boxes on sale at Costco. In October 2025, the product was a robotic pooper scooper on sale for 599.99 (one-hundred bucks off).

By comparison, the new offering is a bargain.: $389.99. The Featured Image is clear: Your cat can be king (or queen) of the throne, and you can monitor the animal’s health progress based on its, ah, business. Ah, okay. For our cat family, no thanks.

Photo by Joe WilcoxMar 3, 20269:42 pm

The Cats of University Heights: Zigi

I don’t recall where my wife and I encountered Zigi (real name). The shorthair was very active, making for a challenging photographic subject. In the Featured Image, Zigi looks high, responding to the sounds of birds. By appearances, the tabby readied to climb the tree. But instead he (or she) came looking for pats (and Annie gave many).

Both shots come from Nikon Zf and NIKKOR Z 28-400mm f/4-8 VR lens. Vitals: f/8, ISO 280, 1/1250 sec, 110mm; 12:09 p.m. PST. The other: f/8, ISO 10000, 1/1000 sec, 400mm; 12:13 pm. Captured Christmas Day 2025.

Photo by Joe WilcoxMar 2, 20269:01 pm

The Cats of University Heights: Nova

Who is this? As my wife and I walked along Alabama yesterday afternoon, this fine feline strutted our way—and with no initial interest in us. Neither of us had ever seen the grey and white before. Annie attracts animals like she and they are mutually magnetized. The kitty eventually warmed up to her for pats.

The cat had a collar and bell, but no tag. Thus, a nickname is necessary. For shining brightly before Annie, I choose Nova. The Featured Image and companion come from Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra. Vitals: f/3.4, ISO 40, 1/125 sec, (synthetic) 230mm (digital and optical zoom); 4:21 p.m. The other is same but 115mm.