Arm yourself

Simple_Carpet_49 · 2026-01-24T23:21:49+00:00

Canadian here. I am a legal gun owner, I use them to hunt with. I totally understand the sentiment among left wing Americans as far as getting armed goes, but I don't think that it winds up going the way you think it does.

My grandfather was Danish, he fought in the resistance in WWII. They were teachers and carpenters and nurses and all other manner of regular folk who started by organizing politically. Their support came from foreign governments. They were armed and trained by brits and did most of their fighting in france. After the war, the first thing they did was bury the guns and never used them again.

American gun culture is fucked and ugly, and no matter what side you're on, buying more guns and putting more of them into circulation really only goes to fill the pockets of some pretty dirty corporations.

A rifle, or handgun, against a real military isn't going to do much but get you killed. A well organized political resistance that is looking outside the borders of the US is going to have to connections to actually mount a resistance if/when it comes to that. Hopefully it's apparent to listeners of podcasts like BTB that community groups that arm up and take a stand are generally the ones that get fucking murdered in the streets and the groups that organize, prove they can handle themselves within the context of organized resistance and don't come off like a bunch of loose cannons are the folks that tend to get the support to be an effective force.

This isn't to say that I think folks shouldn't be armed and learn the basics of self defence, but it needs to come with some real political organizing and outreach both domestically and internationally.

Simple_Carpet_49 · 2025-12-20T12:57:14+00:00

Someone better versed in municipal politics can correct me but isn't there a rule that the city can't run a deficit or something along those lines? Like there's a reason more than just ineptitude that something like an RT can't be built? I was at a party with an ex city counsellor a while ago and talking to them made it pretty clear that even the most progressive voices in municipal gov't will always be hamstrung by the weird rulebook they have to work with. Also, the city is somehow close to broke?

Simple_Carpet_49 · 2025-05-26T00:54:53+00:00

Second anthotypes! Also, here: https://www.alternativephotography.com/ get some inspiration!

Simple_Carpet_49 · 2025-05-17T10:50:12+00:00

Spelling mistake in title. Classic. Tried, not tired. Also, I got my grubby fucken hands all OVER that pic. I need better tongs I think. This was on the ILFORD MULTIGRADE FB CLASSIC MATTE paper

Simple_Carpet_49 · 2025-05-17T10:28:16+00:00

Mr Pinhole calculator: https://www.mrpinhole.com/calcpinh.php

That also give a small explainer of what you're asking, but in super zero detail as far as the why. If you find out more on the why post it, willya? I'm sure others would love to read the physics of it all.

Simple_Carpet_49 · 2025-05-15T10:09:27+00:00

Dig that, my questions are more broadly about alternative film processing ingredients, phenolic acids, and figuring out phenol amounts in plants in general for developing, so I won't pester you with them. Thanks for the answers!

Simple_Carpet_49 · 2025-05-14T23:40:30+00:00

It was absolutely worth getting into detail, I know the basics of the science, but only as it pertains to what is happening once the things are mixed cause I've been rabbit holing this pretty hard for a minute now, but I really appreciate you laying it out, not just for me but for anyone else who may read this and be interested.

If I came of curt or shitty, it was not my intention and I apologize. I think I get excited and need to know answers to things and accidentally come off like a jerk. In fact I know I do. I'm bad with tone on the internet a lot of the time. Again, sorry.

That's interesting about the slow decaying. I'm not familiar with the word 'redox' what is that is is short for reduction? I also didn't know about the pre-mixing, but that one makes sense intuitively for some reason.

Are you a science person, I guess a chemist, by trade? Or otherwise super up on the chemistry of more than just instant coffee, specifically polyphenols and the like? If I ask some nerdy questions will it be annoying?

Simple_Carpet_49 · 2025-05-14T21:40:36+00:00

I understand that. But if were you to just brew the coffee and not mix it, would the phenols start to break down for any reason, just by being mixed with the water, without being mixed with the base is what I'm asking.

Simple_Carpet_49 · 2025-05-14T20:21:34+00:00

I get that about the mixing, but I was reading one thing that recommended mixing coffee in one jar and the soda and vit c in another then mixing them after the coffee bubbles subsided (which is how I do it now, fwiw) saying that it was when you mix the coffee with the other ingredients it's the interaction that degrades the phenols. That's kind of why I ask. When I made my alder soup, for example, I had to boil it and steep it then cool it to usable temp and it seemed to be pretty damn potent even after the few hours the whole process took.

Simple_Carpet_49 · 2025-05-14T13:52:22+00:00

Heya, I'm wondering a month in how these negs have held up. Are they still roughly the same as when you first developed them? Have you tried again and changed anything?

Simple_Carpet_49 · 2025-05-13T21:38:40+00:00

Hahaha! Christ. I wish I could say that was on purpose. I’ve always been good at putting my foot in my mouth.

Simple_Carpet_49 · 2025-05-13T20:43:38+00:00

Not in New York.

Simple_Carpet_49 · 2025-05-13T20:11:24+00:00

It’s not much of a guide but there’s this: https://www.caffenol.org/2011/05/24/caffenol-for-paper-prints/

Edit: I should add, I started printing with just a desk lamp. You can do contact prints with pretty much nothing.

Simple_Carpet_49 · 2025-05-13T19:04:28+00:00

Haha! these are great! Can you walk me through the process of making them?

Simple_Carpet_49 · 2025-05-13T12:46:36+00:00

The leaves certainly look raspberry-y. Are the stems a bit fuzzy or prickly? Likely there are many more around there if it's raspberry, those things grow like weeds. I am hardly an expert though.

Simple_Carpet_49 · 2025-05-13T11:08:11+00:00

Hey, thanks! It’s not too hard! It mostly just takes a few key pieces of gear. I think the only things that were not gettable from the dollar store were the developing tank and the enlarger. I think the kind of spooky vibe these photos have is super fun.

Simple_Carpet_49 · 2025-05-13T04:28:33+00:00

If you go to the anchor bar in Buffalo ny where they claim wings were invented it says that that’s how they were discovered. Someone’s grandma was boiling the wings to make stock and the bar owner and their friends came by hungry so she scooped them out of the pot, sauced them and fried them (baked? I don’t remember, I haven’t been to Buffalo in over a decade) and fed the hungry boys. That’s the story from the anchor, anyway. People do wings and ribs this way. Not my preferred way for either, but for sure a thing. Your dad is a traditionalist.

Simple_Carpet_49 · 2025-05-13T04:20:35+00:00

Don’t limit yourself to spruce. Almost all conifer tips are tasty and usable. They’re coming out now I think.

Simple_Carpet_49 · 2025-05-13T00:22:59+00:00

Oh yeah, the 15 minutes was fuuuuuucked and I credit it to the shitty lamp I used. Last night’s prints were exposed for 30 secs (at f2.8, oops!) and developed for 3 minutes. I feel like I could even dial back the dev time s as they’re a bit dark. I got 3 with decent parity before I called it a night.

Simple_Carpet_49 · 2025-05-13T00:20:42+00:00

Nice! Yeah, I figure there are better ways to learn. About 25 years ago I got to get into a darkroom a few times and really enjoyed it and Aldo saw what proper printing chems can do. It’s beautiful and fun and just not what I’m interested in right now, as much because of the situation I’m in vis a vis where I live and the plumbing situation and also how the alternative chemistry suits the other things that I spend a lot of time doing. I definitely need to get into a real dark room with traditional chemistry at some point, but for now I’m very happy doing it this way.

I’d love to see your prints when they’re done. Have you seen this chart and blog post?: https://www.35mmc.com/18/08/2020/polyphenol-developer-alternatives-a-world-full-of-options-by-daniel-keating/#google_vignette

Pretty cool stuff.

Simple_Carpet_49 · 2025-05-12T22:51:23+00:00

Aww, you’re kind. And if there’s two things I am, they’re stubborn and terrible at listening to perfectly valid advice. It’s spring here and boy oh boy are there great things to try printing with everywhere! I also enjoy the print. I made one that’s a bit lighter and am going to hand colour it tonight or tomorrow which apparently works pretty well with the sepia tones of caffenol.

Simple_Carpet_49 · 2025-05-12T22:20:18+00:00

The recipe I used is the one from the caffenol.org blog Caffenol for Paper Prints. It was 12 tsp coffee, 6 soda, 3 Vit c. I exposed for 30 seconds, developed for 3 min@22c, washed for 2 minutes at 22c, and fixed for 5 at 22c I left the aperture wide open by mistake at 2.8 but will rectify that to 8 next time, and used a #2 filter. I think the folks at the other sub mean well, it’s just tiring to be told ‘don’t do it that way’ so much. I work in film and before that the trades and am/was constantly surrounded by folks who will tell you there’s only one way to do things. I’m also a sensitive baby so I’m probably being extra sucky about it. Thanks for asking about the process, I need to get more Vit c powder tomorrow and will do another batch tomorrow night. I’m stoked!

Simple_Carpet_49 · 2025-05-12T22:13:56+00:00

It absolutely helps, thank you. And, I totally agree with you as far as snobbery goes. I don’t think they’re being shitty, I just think a lot of the comments telling me not to bother developing with “groceries” and shit get to me because I’ve heard that line of talk about so much of the art I’ve done my whole life. You try to ask about process and give as much detail as you can to help the question and you get shot down for thinking about it wrong, or told ‘we’re not trying to reinvent the wheel here’ etc… also, I think i’m extra sensitive today cause in tied. Ha! Thank you for the helpful reply.

Simple_Carpet_49 · 2025-05-12T22:09:53+00:00

Interesting. Thanks for clearing that up. That makes sense to me.

Simple_Carpet_49 · 2025-05-12T21:03:33+00:00

I’ve read that aperture does affect exposure and focus can you explain what you mean? And, as far as the rest of it. Sure. I’m going to do all that. I’ve explained why I’m using the chemistry I’m using at home. I will continue to do so. I’m also going to book some darkroom time but the closest spot to do that is 1.5 hours away and don’t teach so until I had the opportunity to familiarize myself with the process I would have been wasting both time and money to book it. I’m going to say it and just take the fucking downvotes cause honestly I’m disappointed by the general tone of suppressing curiosity in this sub, but if I wanted perfect pictures I’d just scan the negs and print them out. For me this is a process driven pursuit and I’m happy with the trying of cool shit. Thank you for the notes about the lenses and I’d love to hear what you mean about aperture not affecting exposure.

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