Author: Joe Wilcox

Photo by Joe WilcoxFeb 5, 20259:27 pm

The State of the Union

The U.S. Federal government is undergoing dramatic transformation, as President Donald Trump unleashes a nearly daily torrent of executive orders. Entire agencies are being gutted and/or face dissolution.

The poster child, so to speak, is U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), which by statute delivers humanitarian aid across the globe. On Jan. 20, 2025, the Commander-in-Chief “implemented a 90-day freeze on foreign assistance“, while the organization’s future is being evaluated. Meanwhile, firings and other actions shake up FBI, Dept. Education, and other agencies.

Photo by Joe WilcoxFeb 2, 20258:56 pm

First Shot, Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra

The Featured Image isn’t award-winning photography, but it turns out to be a good quick test of the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra‘s main camera—and it’s the first taken, too. Vitals: f/1.7, ISO 80, 1/5000 sec, 23mm (film equivalent); 10:55 a.m. PST. Composed as shot; no edits.

This morning, I sat in a North Park laundry waiting for Pizza Hut to open when the idea of shooting the window got me. The reversed letters are excellent point of focus, while the overall scene presented the smartphone camera with varying, contrasting areas of dark and light.

Photo by Joe WilcoxJan 30, 20258:17 pm

Samsung Galaxy S25 and S25 Ultra Arrive Way Early

The new Samsung smartphones ship, officially, on Feb. 7, 2025, so I was quite surprised to receive email that ours would arrive today. They did—the S25 for my wife and the Ultra for me.

The company makes yearly upgrades too easy, with launch trade-in and other offers. My S25 Ultra is the 1TB model, for which Samsung shaved $1,140 off the price, bringing the total to less than what I paid for the same capacity S24 a year ago. The same goes for the S25: Less than the S24, with $550 discounted. Annie has the model with 256GB storage, which is the maximum available.

Photo by Joe WilcoxJan 24, 20257:21 pm

Creature Feature

Sometimes, it’s not what you shoot but why. On Nov. 10, 2024, while walking along an alley in my San Diego neighborhood of University Heights, my wife and I passed a collection of kids’ toys looking down from a roof.

Initially, I continued on, then stopped, when mentally revisualizing the scene. Sulley the monster appears to be holding up the metal bar. I assume that was the intention of the person putting the Disney character there, but it could be coincidence, too.

Photo by Joe WilcoxJan 23, 20258:22 pm

The Cats of University Heights: Mango Cat

While walking along Meade Avenue, on Jan. 20, 2025, I turned to see what was the movement behind a fence. A (possibly senior) cat sat grooming. I pulled out Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra and put the 10x zoom capabilities to work.

Vitals, for the Featured Image: f/3.4, ISO 32, 1/800 sec, (synthetic) 230mm (digital and optical zoom); 1:49 p.m. PST. Real name: Mango Cat. I love it. We visited briefly, then off he departed.

Living by Joe WilcoxJan 20, 202510:09 pm

One Crazy Inauguration Day

A little after Noon, today, Donald Trump became President for the second time—47th and previously 45th. During his acceptance speech he promised to immediately secure the Southern Border, asserted there are two genders—male and female (and I agree)—pledged to reduce inflation and create jobs, and thanked God.

As he stopped by different venues during the day’s events, he signed a rash of executive actions (e.g. orders), which include: ending diversity, equity, and inclusion programs across the Federal government; recognizing biological sex, not gender identity; designating international cartels (think Mexican) as terrorist organizations; and withdrawing the United States from the Paris (Climate) Agreement and World Health Organization, among a slew of others.

Photo by Joe WilcoxJan 19, 20257:06 pm

Gritty Graffiti

Let me preface this post by strongly saying that the Featured Image isn’t an expression about my attitude with respect to the current crisis in the Middle East. Rather, I observe surprising graffiti and use it to illustrate current events.

A tenuous ceasefire is underway between Israel and adversaries in Gaza and Lebanon. Earlier today, Hamas released the first three of 33 hostages in exchange for 90 by the Israelis. The conflict started on Oct. 7, 2003 when terrorists breached Israeli defenses from Gaza, killed more than 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and grabbed 254 hostages. Nearly 100 remain in captivity.

Photo by Joe WilcoxJan 18, 20258:13 pm

Classic Cars Meetup

This afternoon, I walked over to unbeloved Hillcrest to mail a package at the United States Post Office. The postal workers were friendly and helpful, but the place was surprisingly not crowded. Plausible explanation: This is a holiday weekend for some people, particularly leading into Monday events.

Jan. 20, 2025 celebrates Martin Luther King Jr’s birthday, and the day will also be the inauguration of Donald Trump as 47th president of the United States. If Microsoft Copilot can be trusted for accuracy, Trump will only be the second President to serve non-consecutive terms (Grover Cleveland is the other).

Photo by Joe WilcoxJan 16, 20254:17 pm

Why Nikon Zf?

I am a longstanding fan of the Leica Q series of cameras. I owned the original, Q2, and Q2 Monochrom. The 28mm f/1.7 Summilux lens is fantastically sharp, the body is compact, and the overall ergonomics are exceptional. I was particularly intrigued when Leica released a 43mm Q3—enough to consider trading both Q2 models against the purchase price.

But the newer Q3 is perennially out of stock, being a fairly recent release, and it’s quite expensive. I instead sold both cameras locally and used the funds to buy the Nikon Zf and 40mm lens kit and two additional lenses: NIKKOR Z 50mm f/1.8 S (for focal length, low-light capability, macro shooting, and portraits) and NIKKOR Z 24-200mm f/4-6.3 VR.

Photo by Joe WilcoxJan 15, 20258:59 pm

Where are the Partridges?

A few weeks ago, when walking to Smart & Final for groceries, I observed a woman across the street decorating a utility box. She painted something, but I couldn’t see what. Now I know, and so do you. The motif somewhat reminds me of the Patridge Family bus. And you?

I used Nikon Zf and NIKKOR 40mm f/2 (SE) lens to capture the Featured Image on Jan. 13, 2025. Vitals, aperture manually set: f/2, ISO 100, 1/6400 sec, 40mm; 1:21 p.m. PDT.

Photo by Joe WilcoxJan 14, 20259:54 pm

Fly Me to the Moon

Desert weather conditions are Southern California’s temporary climate, as the Santa Ana winds whip through. Their ferocity fanned fires that destroyed large swaths of Los Angeles County neighborhoods Altadena and Pacific Palisades, during the past week. The two largest fires, Eaton and Palisades, are marginally contained—35 percent and 18 percent, respectively. Fire warnings remain in effect until at least tomorrow afternoon.

By contrast, here in San Diego, risk remains but nowhere as high as Los Angeles. Skies are clear, and wildfires are negligent. Nights are blisteringly cold and days delightfully warm, all unseasonably. When I got out of bed this morning, around 4:30 a.m. PST, the outside temperature was, according to the Android weather app, 4 degrees Celsius (40 Fahrenheit) with 38 percent humidity. By mid-afternoon: 21 C (70 F) and 11 percent humidity. That’s very desert-like.

Photo by Joe WilcoxJan 13, 20254:18 pm

Los Angeles Burns

The time is overdue to post something about the scourge of wildfires ravaging Los Angeles County. Dry Santa Ana winds, coming off the desert, were forecast with the unusually sternest of warnings a week ago. Then, as sustained gusts reached about 50 mph, the first reports of a brushfire went out—around 10:30 a.m. PST on Tuesday Jan. 7, 2024. Within minutes, intense flames and oversize flying embers drove forward what would be called the Palisades Fire. Ten acres would be burned by the top of the hour and more than 1,200 by 3:30 p.m.

Thousands of structures, including entire neighborhoods, burned to the ground in communities with names people living outside the state might recognize, such as Malibu and Pacific Palisades. The wildfire even destroyed businesses and homes along California’s scenic, and iconic, Pacific Coast Highway—someplace where residents would never reasonably expect such carnage.