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Reposted by Mike Liu

Screamer Jim @screamerjim.bsky.social · 11/12/2025

Congratulations you fucking morons

Mike Liu @9mac2.bsky.social · 20/09/2025

Rivertown // Antioch, Calif. In these trying times, may I offer you a personal Sutro? (IKEA Ekrar, customized with paint)

My apartment kitchen which I do woefully little cooking in, showing the dark laundry closet alcove where the possums are coming in from and a rice cooker and toaster oven on the counter. This is the clearest spot I have so I took a picture of a customized coatrack, which started out white and I added red stripes, making it look a little like Sutro Tower.

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Mike Liu @9mac2.bsky.social · 30/08/2025

"Steelworker" (Clifford Wight, 1934) // Coit Tower // Telegraph Hill // San Francisco, Calif. This is the first union job I've had so I needed to share this mural today; it was linked to its neighbor with a banner that read "Workers of the World Unite" until it was painted over by censorious jerks

Clifford Wight painted several murals in Coit Tower; this one, measuring approximately 4 feet by 10, shows a full-length portrait of a steelworker, who is wearing heavy gloves, bib overalls, and a light tan sweater over a collared shirt. On a leather belt slung at a jaunty angle across his waist, there are two large open-ended wrenches. His right hand is grasping a hose or cable, while the left is holding a rivet gun. Under a steel hard hat, the expression is somewhat grim, with deep lines etched connecting nose to chin.

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Mike Liu @9mac2.bsky.social · 24/08/2025

I'm reminded of this today because the latest chapter (47) of Ichi the Witch is out and giving the same emotional damage catchphrase as from One Piece; The first and last three chapters are free to read: www.viz.com/shonenjump/c...

Panels from chapter 618 of the manga One Piece. In this chapter, one of the main villains from this arc (Fish-Man Island), Vander Decken, is being rejected by Shirahoshi, a mermaid princess.

The actual dialogue reads:
Vander Decken: "Answer me, Shirahoshi! All you have to do to escape death is say yes! BA HO HO HO!! MARRY ME!!"
Crowd: "After trying to kill her for all these years, he's still trying to propose to her?!"
Shirahoshi: " ... You're just not my type!"
Crowd (shocked): "!!! That's the problem?!"

Panel from chapter 47 of the manga Ichi the Witch. This concerns the protagonist, Ichi, rejecting the proposal of Spica, a fellow witch. The actual dialogue is limited to Ichi and reads "I'm sorry. You're not my type." as he bows deeply to Spica. The reaction panel shows Spica's sister Kumugi struggling to hold a straight face as this means her plea to stay on Ichi's team has been accepted.

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Mike Liu @9mac2.bsky.social · 24/08/2025

A few months after the divorce I struggled with what to do during the echoingly quiet evenings and knowing that I'd have Netflix for a while, decided that watching One Piece would mean that at least I'd have a reliable default choice for a while.

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Mike Liu @9mac2.bsky.social · 23/08/2025

Downtown // Antioch, Calif. We are out here in RIVERTOWN doing RIVERTOWN things.

The illuminated Rivertown sign straddles Second, just west of E in downtown Antioch. The sunset colors here are gorgeous and I've pumped them a bit but only to enjoy the same emotions I've been feeling.

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Mike Liu @9mac2.bsky.social · 19/07/2025

Coyote Point Park // San Mateo, Calif. Immaculate vibes, cool grey water and sky.

A fisherman stands on the southern edge of the marina at Coyote Point Marina, looking towards the mid-rise offices in Foster City and the low hill of Seal Point in the distance. The ground is covered with sage and other scrub plants; the white patches are crushed shells.

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Mike Liu @9mac2.bsky.social · 05/07/2025

Old Street // Tamsui In the rush, as we hurry worry scurry

The old street shopping districts in Taiwan are delightful assaults on the senses: a panoply of sights accompanied by cheap snacks and chilly air con having you oscillating between steamed and chilled, a chance to practice deciding between different choices nearly identical but why not both, you finally shrug.

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Mike Liu @9mac2.bsky.social · 05/07/2025

Sanzhi // New Taipei City // Taiwan I spend so much time looking for foreign buildings I forget how much we have in common.

This is an abandoned building – full-on, trash piled up throughout the bottom floor, some windows intact – just off the main highway. Somewhere, this made economic sense.

This is a gas station, perhaps? Or maybe a service station? The long carport gives some indication, while the building looks like perhaps you could put a small store and maybe a residence on top. There were so many angles.

Stairs to the landmark pedestrian bridge in Sanzhi. I'm pretty sure that no one actually uses the bridge; you end up climbing an astonishing number of steps to cross at a dizzying height. Instead, most do as I do and wait for a break in the traffic, then dash over.

This is the pedestrian bridge; it's lovely and colorful and serves as a great reminder to call for a stop in the bus.

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Mike Liu @9mac2.bsky.social · 05/07/2025

Sanzhi // New Taipei City // Taiwan Part of being in Taiwan is trying to get a walk in before it was too hot but even at 6 am, it is certainly a feast for the senses and pores, open with no cooling breeze of relief.

Pickles Hotdog beach side stand, shuttered. As the name implies you may exhange money (undoubtedly a modest amount, as is the usual for Taiwan) for a hot dog and probably pickles. This combination is punctuated by a sign depicting a pair of potato-looking smiling foods giving each other a hug.

The blue metal letters spell out "Zhilan" on the water's edge, looking north across the strait towards mainland China.

This is a mural on the wall of a coffee shop in Sanzhi village, showing anthropomorphized female and male owls in oddly provocative poses. I may be in love.

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Mike Liu @9mac2.bsky.social · 05/07/2025

Sanzhi // New Taipei City // Taiwan I could spend a whole day talking to you about the stay cats of Taiwan who seemingly adopted me during this last trip.

A small brown tabby car lying on a tile floor covered by a checkered fabric mat. The car is looking towards the bottom of frame, sprawled out in a comfortable heap.

Two cats lying on a table and chair; the table cat is an orange tabby eyeing me nervously, while the chair cat is a brown tabby with its back to me.

Two cats lying on a tile porch; the same brown tabby is on the top level next to a stainless steel handrail, while a tortoise-shell is grooming its tail a couple of steps below.

A great that looks at me alertly, frames by the brick walls of a grassy alley stretching into the distance, marked by an orange traffic cone.

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Mike Liu @9mac2.bsky.social · 17/05/2025

Contra Costa County Fair // Antioch, Calif. I knew the fair was in town so I walked over last night.

Riders on the Magic Dragon rollercoaster at the Contra Costa County Fair in Antioch, California. The lead car has an Asian dragon-shaped head and the track follows two loops; the ride is approximately five minutes long, going around the complete circuit twice, and the riders look mostly delighted.

Marquee for the Magic Dragon, lit up in red and white lights which spell out the name of the ride. There is a crowd thrown into shadow, waiting to ride, but the throngs were not thick and wait times were short. The overall shape is reminiscent of a paifang archway, with pagodas as pillars and a typical peaked roof bridge in between.

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Mike Liu @9mac2.bsky.social · 17/05/2025

ECR // San Mateo, Calif. I have been absent recently as New Work Monday has given way to Weary Commute Wednesdays and then Find a New Place Fridays.

Night view towards the south along El Camino Real, near the intersection with 12th/Hobart in San Mateo, California. In the very early morning, around 4:30, I am waiting for the bus to start a new job that Monday on a route which will take me three hours to complete, connecting with BART in Millbrae and Walnut Creek. I am standing in traffic, and my shadow is cast into relief, with no traffic apparent, as customary for this hour.

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Mike Liu @9mac2.bsky.social · 31/03/2025

Bay Trail (near Ryder Park) // San Mateo, Calif. When we were all working from home this is how my day would start: "commute" by walking a loop down to the Bay shore and seeing what was new.

San Francisco Bay shoreline at low tide; a single bird is standing on the mud looking for breakfast, well after sunrise but the break in the clouds behind throws sharp relief over the image.

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Mike Liu @9mac2.bsky.social · 23/03/2025

Hayward Park // San Mateo, Calif. FRIENDSHIP ended with HiAce kei fire truck. Now MAZDA T1500 blue kei trike is my best friend.

A vintage blue Mazda T1500 kei truck is sitting in front of a local auto repair shop by the train tracks in San Mateo. This area is zoned for light industrial use and the chunky truck fits right in with the vibe.

Coming around to the front, we see there is one front wheel and an adorably beaky nose perched on top with a glorious rounded monopane windshield and two round sealed beam headlamps at the break line carried down the body through the doors. The name of the manufacturer, Mazda, is between the two headlamps.

Another view of the front of the truck, showing how narrow the kei truck is (you could sit in the middle of the cabin and touch both doors simultaneously. Yes, even you.) and the rounded features that engenders serious cute aggression. The wing mirrors! The teeny hood scoop! The bulbous turn signals!

You want to know how much room is in the cabin? Well, the right-hand drive steering wheel is nearly horizontal to make room for the driver's knees and the bench looks like it will hold two reasonably sized adults in (not exactly) adequate comfort for a work day. There is a wire shelf in front of the passenger and the roof is another wire panel, presumably for ventilation.

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Mike Liu @9mac2.bsky.social · 23/03/2025

I also saw a grasshopper.

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Mike Liu @9mac2.bsky.social · 23/03/2025

Phlomis russeliana // Central Park // San Mateo, Calif. Yesterday my day started with errands; when I passed by this Turkish sage I had to share this arresting shape.

Turkish sage blossoms, which are carried about halfway up a stem crowned with leaves. The blossoms are yellow, shaped like half circles with the flat side facing down, and a like-colored skirt below, arrayed in a group of six radiating away from the stem. I don't know why I've never noticed this before.

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Mike Liu @9mac2.bsky.social · 22/03/2025

Puff piece to counter bad press about tech: we can’t be bad, we’re Christians! Yet there’s nothing substantive about concrete beliefs or actions, just self-congratulatory relativism masquerading as virtue. (1/3) www.vanityfair.com/news/story/c...

vanityfair.com

Christianity Was “Borderline Illegal” in Silicon Valley. Now It’s the New Religion

Believers like Garry Tan are flipping the script in the venture capital world, making faith matter just as much as the ability to turn a fortune. Says one entrepreneur, “There are people that are leve...

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Reposted by Mike Liu

Kilte Fops @graytfox.bsky.social · 19/03/2025

Sutro Sunset Going for a hike behind my house always boosts my mood and gets my mind off the bad shit the day threw at me. I stood listening to nothing but the wind rustling the grass and felt real peace

The southern side of San Francisco in the distance, Sutro Tower pokes above the horizon at sunset. A slight marine layer is forming in the left side of the photo. The verdant hills are awash in golden light and the sky is a light blue tinged with orange.

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Mike Liu @9mac2.bsky.social · 21/03/2025

Three views // Grand Prairie, Tex. I'm pretty sure that every time I've come to Texas, it's been to the Dallas area. When I try to walk around, I'm reminded the suburbs are violently opposed.

Sign which reads "Event Center" near sunset, with long shadows being cast on the parking lot in front of me. There are no sidewalks in this picture.

Signs welcoming drivers to Grand Prairie, Texas, including a city limits sign. Although there is room, there are no sidewalks in this picture.

Overpass for Texas Highway 360, facing north towards Dallas. This has three lanes in each direction with room in the center and sides for a complete breakdown. I'm on the sidewalk of the overpass, which was shut down, but there are no sidewalks in this picture.

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Mike Liu @9mac2.bsky.social · 21/03/2025

Tru by Hilton // Grand Prairie, Tex. Fit check, for my work assignment last week. This could be subtitled "take an ungoofy selfie challenge: impossible".

Me, wearing coveralls, a hard hat, and my camera harness to prepare for a work assignment. My eyes are in shadow because of the brim, so it's hard to see how thick my glasses are.

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Reposted by Mike Liu

Kelly Barnhill @kellybarnhill.bsky.social · 07/03/2025

Any Dem politician who refuses to stand for thr rights of our trans friends, neighbors, family members and fellow citizens loses my vote forever. Forever. Doesn't matter if it's for president, congress, state reps, city council, soil and water, library board or dog catcher.

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Mike Liu @9mac2.bsky.social · 06/03/2025

Music Valley Drive // Nashville, Tenn. Glowering skies and empty racetracks near the Grand Old Opry

Abandoned go-kart track lined with tires; the concrete roadway looks to be in good shape so I suspect the track closed down recently. There is a three-lane starting shelter in the background with a sign which reads "Valley Park Go Karts" along with several red maintenance sheds dotted along the track.

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Reposted by Mike Liu

Sesame Workers Union @sesameworkersunion.bsky.social · 06/03/2025

We expect @sesameworkshop.bsky.social to uphold our shared values of fairness, transparency, and respect by recognizing our union and collectively bargaining over our working conditions and the terms of yesterday's layoffs.

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Mike Liu @9mac2.bsky.social · 03/03/2025

Municipal Theater // Nashville, Tenn. Pick your artist: a collage of magnified tickets lines the wall by the entrance to the Municipal Theater here in Nashville.

Enlarged ticket stubs pay tribute to the Manny artists which have played Municipal Theater in Nashville, Tennessee. There are too many for me to list, but they include the Harlem Globetrotters, Bob Dylan, Elvis, Chicago, and Kesha.

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Reposted by Mike Liu

Alfred Twu @alfredtwu.com · 03/03/2025

The trans population of the US is estimated at 0.6%-1.6%. This may seem small, but it's a few million people and comparable to many major ethnic groups. For example, 1.6% is similar to the number of Chinese Americans.

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Mike Liu @9mac2.bsky.social · 02/03/2025

Bay Trail & Coyote Point // San Mateo, Calif. The sure sign of spring is the resilient California Golden Poppy reappearing alongside that spiced Scotch Broom smell on the shoreline. Faced with change, we should all be so persistent.

Two poppies, brilliantly orange against the tall green grass.

Many poppies in various states of bloom, some new, some pending, some tired, some spent. All beautiful.

A different set of filters have been applied to a similar set of poppies, here next to the Coyote Point Yacht Club. My personal vision I think is permanently warped by that 1970s Kodachrome palette on display from those old National Geographics you kept because your grandma did even though there's no money in them.

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Reposted by Mike Liu

derek guy @dieworkwear.bsky.social · 01/03/2025

Just look at how we view hoodies. On Mark Zuckerberg, the hoodie is a symbol of whiz kid meritocracy breaking norms and developing the New Economy. On people like Trayvon Martin, the hoodie is sometimes seen as proof of criminality. Again, it's about the bodies beneath the clothes.

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Mike Liu @9mac2.bsky.social · 28/02/2025

Reed Street flyover // Santa Clara, Calif. Electric slide, the sunrise ferry: (there is a nice stretch of no fence once you get to the side of the overhead catenary).

Northbound Caltrain departing Santa Clara station next to the University. The two tracks of the Peninsula Corridor have been electrified and the bright lights and paint of new trains sparkle in the dawn. A long exposure has been used to blur the train into illegibility.

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Reposted by Mike Liu

Aura Bogado @aurabogado.bsky.social · 28/02/2025

Years ago a white editor* asked if I was biased about immigration stories because I'm an immigrant. I've been asked a version of this question dozens of times since. The driving idea is that people who embody difference introduce bias; it's the framework that maintains white supremacy in newsrooms.

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Reposted by Mike Liu

Faine Greenwood @faineg.com · 27/02/2025

Jeff Bezos would like you to know you that the Washington Post has gone full fascist and that no one needs to bother subscribing anymore.

Jeff Bezos V @JeffBezos
Follow
I shared this note with the Washington Post team this morning:
I'm writing to let you know about a change coming to our opinion pages.
We are going to be writing every day in support and defense of two pillars: personal liberties and free markets. We'll cover other topics too of course, but viewpoints opposing those pillars will be left to be published by others.
There was a time when a newspaper, especially one that was a local monopoly, might have seen it as a service to bring to the reader's doorstep every morning a broad-based opinion section that sought to cover all views. Today, the internet does that job.
I am of America and for America, and proud to be so. Our country did not get here by being typical. And a big part of America's success has been freedom in the economic realm and everywhere else. Freedom is ethical — it minimizes coercion — and practical — it drives creativity, invention, and prosperity.
I offered David Shipley, whom I greatly admire, the opportunity to lead this new chapter. I suggested to him that if the answer wasn't "hell yes," then it had to be "no." After careful consideration, David decided to step away. This is a significant shift, it won't be easy, and it will require 100% commitment — I respect his decision. We'll be searching for a new Opinion Editor to own this new direction.
I'm confident that free markets and personal liberties are right for America. I also believe these viewpoints are underserved in the current market of ideas and news opinion. I'm excited for us together to fill that void.
Jeff
10:31 PM • Feb 26, 2025 • 16.6M Views

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Mike Liu @9mac2.bsky.social · 27/02/2025

Hayward Park // San Mateo, Calif. Suddenly there are al pastor trucks everywhere; at $3 per, pick up a couple while you're out.

Night scene; a brightly illuminated pickup truck has been converted to cook and serve tacos al pastor, complete with a vertical roasting spit. Two men stand at the truck, carving meat and heating tortillas. Shadowy figures are in the foreground, features indistinct, taking orders and enjoying their food.

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Reposted by Mike Liu

dan sinker @dansinker.com · 24/02/2025

In light of everything happening, I wrote about how the KKK in the 1920s felt unstoppable, about the people that fought against them anyway, and about how fascism always fails. dansinker.com/posts/202…

an archival black and white photograph of the KKK marching in Washington DC with the capitol behind them

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Mike Liu @9mac2.bsky.social · 24/02/2025

I often think about this (now four year old) song from the Network, the not-so-secret identity band of a famous pop-punk trio: youtu.be/3doI5Yx3Eus

youtu.be

The Network - Ivankkka Is A Nazi

YouTube video by The Network

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Mike Liu @9mac2.bsky.social · 23/02/2025

Breakfast today // San Mateo, Calif. Please enjoy watching the hexapods waking up from their slumber:

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Mike Liu @9mac2.bsky.social · 23/02/2025

San Mateo, Calif. L: North Shoreview R: Hayward Park Warm weather has prompted rising sap and blooming blossoms and oh wow

Plum blossoms in my old backyard; these are white, five-petaled flowers about an inch (2.5 cm) in diameter, with prominent stamens with yellow tips. The background is a dark, unstained wood fence.

Pink tree blossoms which are about the same size and configuration as plum blossoms, five-petaled symmetry about an inch (2.5 cm) in diameter. These stamens have dark red tips and are not as long as the plum blossoms though, which makes me think these are kind of like cherry blossoms but not the right shape, as there's no scalloped cut on each petal.

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Mike Liu @9mac2.bsky.social · 22/02/2025

I know this is a joke but this actually happened to me (typically around 130/80) more than once when donating blood. The poor phlebotomists have started wearing face shields.

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Mike Liu @9mac2.bsky.social · 22/02/2025

Any article which bills Yoo as "a top Justice Department lawyer in the George W. Bush administration" without mentioning the torture memos is fundamentally unserious: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torture...

en.wikipedia.org

Torture Memos - Wikipedia

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Mary Robinette Kowal @maryrobinettekowal.com · 22/02/2025

I went to see a really good band tonight. Great musicians. Right up until they played Dixie for their closing number. "This one's for two of my great-great grandfathers." I walked out.

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Reposted by Mike Liu

eva (^_^)/ @eva.computer · 18/02/2025

hello cis friends this is what people mean by trans genocide if a type of person does not officially exist, then any harm against them cannot be measured or reported this headline change isn't even being caused by an executive order it's simply the NYT editors deciding we don't deserve to exist

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Mike Liu @9mac2.bsky.social · 18/02/2025

“Anger offered you a simple solution to a complex problem, it allowed you to feel righteous, and it was your friend. But underneath, you sound embattled, embittered, and deeply, deeply afraid of someone else doing this to you again.” – Scaachi Koul holds up a mirror to me slate.com/life/2025/02...

slate.com

People—Usually Men—All Said I Should Do the Same Thing After My Divorce. I Never, Ever Want To.

No one understands anger like a divorced woman.

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Mike Liu @9mac2.bsky.social · 18/02/2025

Last week I had a spare hour at the library and ended up reading "Dragon Hoops" by Gene Luen Yang through this very process, trying to find paper copies of manga I had only borrowed online.

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s. e. smith @sesmith.lol · 16/02/2025

Fascinating profile of a park ranger in San Francisco who works with unhoused residents and has adopted the novel tactic of treating them like human beings, building relationships, and helping them access resources on their own timeline.

sfstandard.com

Her job is to remove homeless people from SF's parks. Her methods are extraordinary

Instead of forcing people out of Golden Gate Park, ranger Amanda Barrows helps them find housing.

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Mike Liu @9mac2.bsky.social · 16/02/2025

Kearny // Chinatown // San Francisco, Calif. Tonight was the parade and I made it just in time for the big dragon to close the parade. (1/3)

A performer carries one pole on the 200+ foot dragon that closes the Chinese New Year parade, Gum Lung. The dragon is lit from within so you can see the start, resolute expression on her face; crowds line the opposite side of the street.

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Mike Liu @9mac2.bsky.social · 15/02/2025

Outside Espetus // B Street // San Mateo, Calif. Feb 15, AM: Did it escape your grasp or did you leave it there after one last meal?

Red balloons in the gutter along B Street, San Mateo, south of downtown. One is a heart-shaped mylar balloon filled with helium, standing tall, and the other is a standard red rubber balloon, stained with mud and resting on the ground. They are tied together with a red string.

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Mikki Kendall @karnythia.blacksky.app · 13/02/2025

So someone asked me to retell the story of the old lady that told me about killing her husband. Are we ready for a trip back in time to 1999? Some of you already know this story, but if you don't it is a wild ride. Apply all appropriate trigger warnings!

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Mike Liu @9mac2.bsky.social · 13/02/2025

State Route 92 at Alameda de las Pulgas // San Mateo, Calif. Homeward, in the gathering rain:

Facing east from the Alameda de las Pulgas overpass of California State Route 92, a four-lane freeway that runs from Hayward to Half Moon Bay. A slow shutter speed has been used to blur the cars into unrecognizable streaks punctuated by head and tail lights.

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Kelly Bastow @moosekleenex.bsky.social · 11/02/2025

these are romance adjacent 🤔

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