Category: Samsung

Photo by Joe WilcoxFeb 28, 20269:53 pm

We as in You and Me?

T Village of University Heights is undoubtedly a liberal haven—or at least for those who demand to be heard. For all I know (and don’t), Republicans might outnumber Democrats, but you’d never know from the cacophony the liberals make. Their numbers matter less than who makes more demands. They’re a noisy group for sure.

Several overly-liberal areas stand out from others in the neighborhood. Shirley Ann is one street. Panorama Drive is another. Slogan signage tends to be loudest there. Take the Featured Image as an example. (Vitals: f/1.7, ISO 50, 1/200 sec, 23mm (film equivalent); 9:27 a.m. PST, today; Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra.)

Photo by Joe WilcoxFeb 27, 202610:29 pm

Is He an Escapee?

Times can come when 10x zoom capability is quite handy on a smartphone. That would be the case with the Featured Image, which was captured day-before-yesterday using Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra. Vitals: f/3.4, ISO 32, 1/250 sec, (synthetic) 230mm (digital and optical zoom); 12:12 p.m. PST.

The photo is surprisingly sharp, considering use of hardware capability combined with software magic (what else would you call it) to simulate the zoom range. Please feel free to pixel peep this one.

Photo by Joe WilcoxFeb 25, 20268:11 pm

And You’re Proud of This?

What exactly does the kid study? “Possessions 101?” “Exorcism Survival?” “Advanced Haunting?” “Geometry of Poltergeists?” “Multiplication of Spiritual Influences?” “Intermediate Demonology?” Does Honor Roll mean the student must be bad to be good? I can understand parents being proud of their do-gooders in Heaven. But Hell? Breakout your goth gear and tattoos.

Today, I happened upon the bumper sticker while walking along Louisiana Street in my San Diego neighborhood of University Heights. The Featured Image comes from Galaxy S25 Ultra, hours after Samsung announced successor S26 Ultra. Preorders can be placed now for the official launch on March 11, 2025.

Photo by Joe WilcoxFeb 23, 20269:21 pm

Power Up!

As part of our preparedness for manmade or natural disasters, we keep three different battery backups: Bluetti AC50, EcoFlow River 2 Max, and Jackery Explorer 300. At least one recent wide-area San Diego power outage had us put all three into service. They performed admirably, providing power for numerous devices for the length of the blackout.

On Feb. 20, 2025, we received notice from the rental management company on behalf of San Diego Gas and Electric that our electricity would be off today from about 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Reason: Uprade the apartment complex to smart meters. Oh joy. At our previous apartment, the utility bill doubled after similar switchover. But that’s topic of a future post, if necessary.

Photo by Joe WilcoxFeb 22, 20269:43 pm

A Total Loss

A series of squatter fires has culminated in the near destruction of the last house among the derelict cottages located on Georgia Street across from Kindred Hospital. In June 2021, Georgy joined my “Cats of University Heights” series. She lived with her owners in one of the residences—before being rehomed, following their renoviction.

Later becoming what I called squatter villas, the buildings burned partially here and there over the course of several years. Yesterday morning, another fire gutted the front building that had been the most intact. Presumably, homeless folk seeking to stay warm or cook food started all the blazes.

Photo by Joe WilcoxFeb 21, 20269:25 pm

The Bear Necessities

My wife and I don’t go to San Diego Zoo as much as we should. Our current membership expires in April, and I can’t guarantee that we would renew. Perhaps more negligent, I have a trove of unpublished photos from numerous visits that really should be shared with you.

Let’s start with one, and surely no additional identification is necessary, eh? I used Nikon Zf and NIKKOR Z 24-200mm f/4-6.3 VR lens to capture the Featured Image on Sept. 27, 2025. Vitals: f/6.3, ISO 400, 1/320 sec, 200mm; 3:51 p.m. PDT. Composed as shot.

Photo by Joe WilcoxFeb 20, 20268:56 pm

Adventures in Girl Scouting

You choose. Is it the law of unintended consequences or some adult’s backhanded commentary? Take a long, hard look at the Featured Image—enlarge it! That is a skeleton selling Girl Scout Cookies.

One purposeful or unintended interpretation: The Girl Scouts are dead. Several scandals have tarnished the image, as have accusations against the cookies. For sure, someone could argue that Girl Scouts is dead to what it was.

Photo by Joe WilcoxFeb 19, 20268:26 pm

When Trouble Rains, It Pours

San Diego County is wet again as would be typical for this time of year. The unseasonably dry, pleasant weather disappeared this week. As recently as February 9, the high temperature in my neighborhood of University Heights reached 28 degrees Celsius (82 Fahrenheit). Today: 14 C (58 F). Some sun early day surrendered to torrential rainfall by mid-afternoon.

The turnaround caused hardship for one of my neighbors, who rang the doorbell around 3:30 p.m. PST. He asked for a ride to his car, which spun out of control on the slick asphalt into a ditch. He expected a tow truck in about 45 minutes (yeah AAA). What perplexed me: Why wasn’t he with the vehicle? Meaning: How did he get home?

Photo by Joe WilcoxFeb 13, 202610:45 pm

I See a Lucky Day

Some people are superstitious about Friday the 13th; they see an unlucky day. I juxtapose them, by regarding it the luckiest day of the year. Two-thousand-twenty-six is the harbinger of good fortune: Three, count them, three Friday the 13ths—one in March and another in November.

That’s one of the ways I see the world. For years my personal motto was “Why not?” It’s the question to ask whenever someone stops because of perceived barrier. For example, “I can’t go to school today”. Well, why not?

Photo by Joe WilcoxFeb 12, 20269:09 pm

Cali on My Knee

What’s a good cure for clutter? Bokeh! Tortoiseshell Cali sits on my lap in a quickie portrait made yesterday using Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra. In the blurred background is my makeshift workspace, with Casabelle Mail Center as a desk alongside six-tier bookcase. I purchased the Casabelle from the now defunct Pier 1 Imports in early 2016. Our daughter may visit soon, compelling self-eviction from my home office for her. The new space is messy, and I am relieved you can make out only the kitty. She is quite the lap cat, and demanding about it, too.

I first encountered Cali on June 4, 2014, shortly after moving our daughter into a house she rented with other coeds nearby San Diego State University. Overnight, Cali would squeeze through an open sliding door and crawl into Molly’s bed. The tortie’s ownership would be disputed over the summer months that followed, and she somehow came to belong to our daughter.

Photo by Joe WilcoxFeb 6, 20269:38 pm

Grandby Gone Bye-Bye

On Jan. 26, 2026, as I walked along the alley separating Louisiana and Mississippi, while talking to one of my sisters on the phone, a man asked if I had a forklift. He smiled big, indicating the question was rhetorical and serious.

I briefly interrupted the conversation with Nanette to engage him, and the woman working with him. I assumed they were married or otherwise coupled. He explained the need: Removal of a camper top from the back of a pickup truck. Alternate plan: Tie ropes to the topper and pull off the contraption.

Photo by Joe WilcoxJan 29, 20269:04 pm

Getting Good Graffiti

Last Summer, I started seeing sophisticated graffiti splash upon utility boxes across University Heights. My mistake. The San Diego village commissioned local artists to dress up the boxes, and so they did to about 51 of them.

The Featured Image and first companion catch artists at work on a box located near the intersection of Florida Street and El Cajon Blvd. Both photos come from Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, on Aug. 17, 2025. Vitals, first: f/3.4, ISO 32, 1/500 sec, (synthetic) 230mm (digital and optical zoom); 3:02 p.m. PDT.