Climate Change

Sep. 5th, 2025 11:49 pm
ysabetwordsmith: Cartoon of me in Wordsmith persona (Default)
[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
Scientists made plastic that eats carbon

From waste to valuable resource: Chemists at the University of Copenhagen have developed a method to convert plastic waste into a climate solution for efficient and sustainable CO2 capture, thereby addressing not one, but two major global challenges.

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Neighborly Request

Sep. 5th, 2025 09:37 pm
ysabetwordsmith: Cartoon of me in Wordsmith persona (Default)
[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
I'm copying this from [personal profile] dialecticdreamer:

Our online friend [personal profile] chanter1944  needs help re-linking works from their old user name to the current one. (This affects the Schroedinger’s Heroes stories that they have written, specifically.) I have no idea how to do this, but there are plenty of people here who probably have a better clue about how to proceed. So I’m asking.

They have many stories which should not be lost in the black box of their former DW handle. Please contact [personal profile] chanter1944 , who uses a screen reader which can slow down response time.

Thank you for your time and attention.

Wishing success to [personal profile] chanter1944 , and the helpers who tackle this project!


I will add that this affects the Schrodinger's Heroes links for the Orange!verse on my website; I know I've got some folks here who can edit that, so hopefully someone will have time to help.

Today's Adventures

Sep. 5th, 2025 08:10 pm
ysabetwordsmith: Cartoon of me in Wordsmith persona (Default)
[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
Today we went to the Broomcorn Festival in Arcola. This is a big harvest festival, well worth catching, and it runs the whole weekend if you want to check it out. The weather was beautiful, cloudy and mild, couldn't ask for better weather.

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Friday Five

Sep. 5th, 2025 07:59 pm
ysabetwordsmith: Cartoon of me in Wordsmith persona (Default)
[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
1. What was recently interrupted?

Gardening, because today we went to the Broomcorn Festival.


2. What could you use a break from?

The drought. Seriously, the weeds are dying. My sunchokes continue to give zero fucks though.


3. What would get you to continue that long-unfinished project?

Time. And since I have time currently, I am working on an unfinished poem.


4. When did you last attend something that had an intermission?

Gosh, it's been years, we used to attend theatre events.


5. What’s your favorite way to spend a lunch break?

Eating lunch.
dialecticdreamer: My work (Default)
[personal profile] dialecticdreamer
Walking Ahead
By Dialecticdreamer/Sarah Williams
Part 1 of 1, complete
Word count (story only): 1736
[End of March 179-]


:: As the journey continues, conversation turns more and more often to the future. Part of the “Lost Son” story arc in the Frankenstein’s Family universe. ::




“It’s time to stop,” Rebeka declared firmly. “I can hear you panting even when walking behind the vardo.”

Laszlo couldn’t spare the breath to speak, so he nodded several times.

She set the wheels quickly, then shifted David into Laszlo’s surprised arms. She’d barely taken a step back when she fell backwards in a faint.

“David, we’ve got to help mama.” He frowned. “I’ll need you to lay on the bed for a minute. Can you make it warm and cozy for Rebeka?”
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Birdfeeding

Sep. 5th, 2025 06:25 pm
ysabetwordsmith: Cartoon of me in Wordsmith persona (Default)
[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
Today is cloudy and mild.

I fed the birds.  I've seen a few sparrows and house finches.

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 9/5/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

EDIT 9/5/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

EDIT 9/5/25 -- I watered the old picnic table, new picnic table, telephone pole garden, and a few of the savanna seedlings.

I picked 2 yellow pear tomatoes.

Cicadas and crickets are singing.

As it is now dark, I am done for the night.

HALLOWEEN CARDS

Sep. 5th, 2025 11:55 am
minoanmiss: Minoan lady scribe holding up a recursive scroll (Scribe)
[personal profile] minoanmiss
Want one? Want someone to get one? Comments as screened: let me know!

Apocalypse now

Sep. 5th, 2025 07:02 am
jhetley: (Default)
[personal profile] jhetley
Air temperature 65 F, wind south gusting to 25 mph, cloudy. Rain on the weather radar, supposed to clear out in a couple of hours, then more tomorrow. We need it.

Follow Friday 9-5-25: Internet

Sep. 5th, 2025 12:16 am
ysabetwordsmith: A blue sheep holding a quill dreams of Dreamwidth (Dreamsheep)
[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
Today's theme is Internet.

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Walking Back (part 1 of 1, complete)

Sep. 4th, 2025 07:54 pm
dialecticdreamer: My work (Default)
[personal profile] dialecticdreamer
Walking Back
By Dialecticdreamer/Sarah Williams
Part 1 of 1, complete
Word count (story only): 1550
[End of March 179-]


:: Faced with difficult decisions, Laszlo chooses the one that is easiest for him to live with. Part of the “Lost Son” story arc in the Frankenstein’s Family universe. ::




It took most of an hour to work out the best way to pull the vardo. Laszlo looped two bights of rope through the metal support mounted under the front platform to hold the stairs, then chained each doubled rope in loops that went over his shoulder and knotted several times to make a flat link that rested under his shoulder blades when he began to pull the wagon.

They practiced having Rebeka block the front wheels, then the back ones, while still at the campsite. David lay against his mother’s body, secured against her in the shawl she usually bundled him into. “This seems really dangerous,” Rebeka warned.
Read more... )

Food

Sep. 4th, 2025 03:12 pm
ysabetwordsmith: Cartoon of me in Wordsmith persona (Default)
[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
How Parking Day Brought This Louisiana City Back to Life

To break the impasse, the city of Lafayette partnered with a local nonprofit to host a Park(ing) Day event. Together, they installed 16 temporary parklets throughout the downtown, several of which simulated outdoor dining areas. “People enjoyed the experience, and it allowed downtown business owners and stakeholders to experience the change in a temporary way,” explained Carlee Alm-LaBar, then Lafayette’s planning director and now Strong Towns’ chief of staff. “They started to see the vision of how Lafayette could use its public space differently and how it might bring more energy to the downtown neighborhood.”

That experience mattered. Less than a year later, the city passed an ordinance allowing for parklets and outdoor dining to be built in former parking spots
.


Other things you can playtest with this method:

* food truck parks

* busk stops

* pop-up shops (e.g. selling local art, fresh produce, seasonal decor)

* skateable / climbable sculptures

* new types of public seating

Thankful Thursday

Sep. 4th, 2025 10:07 pm
mdlbear: blue fractal bear with text "since 2002" (Default)
[personal profile] mdlbear

Today I am thankful for...

  • N, and her expert knowledge of advanced massage therapy. NO thanks to my back, especially the QL muscles.
  • m's amazing vocals, especially the descants that have become sort of a kaleidofolk signature.
  • Scratch tracks.
  • Finally finding out about the hidden playback volume control in Audacity. NO thanks to whoever decided that it should be initialized to zero. WTF?
  • NO thanks to cataracts, which are destroying my night vision among other things. Along with a growing collection of Conditions, many of which also start with the letter "C".

Affordable Housing

Sep. 4th, 2025 03:08 pm
ysabetwordsmith: Cartoon of me in Wordsmith persona (Default)
[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
Church to demolish existing worship space, creating 110 units of affordable housing

“St. John’s has always been a place focused on refuge, serving the poor, and meeting people where they are,” the church’s pastor, Rev. Peter Beeson, said in a fundraising video.

“Today, we're looking at adapting our building in the most audacious way yet: by tearing it down to build 110 units of affordable housing, plus worship and community space.”



What would Jesus do? This. \o/

Birdfeeding

Sep. 4th, 2025 02:52 pm
ysabetwordsmith: Cartoon of me in Wordsmith persona (Default)
[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
Today is partly sunny and mild.  It dribbled a bit last night, just enough to rinse some of the dust off the leaves, not enough to do any real good.

I fed the birds.  I've seen a mixed flock of sparrows and house finches.

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 9/4/25 -- We got the cover fully back over the septic tank. \o/

I saw a gray squirrel.  This one looked adult or nearly so.  Last fall we had a young one arrive, but it was only here for a month or two before disappearing, presumably eaten.  I hope this one sticks around.  We have grays occasionally, and they make a nice contrast to the established fox squirrels, but they've never managed a breeding population.

EDIT 9/4/25 -- I gathered a large amount of Shithouse Marigold seeds.  :D

I've seen a gray catbird and a male rose-breasted grosbeak.  It looks like the fall migration is starting.

EDIT 9/4/25 -- I gathered a large amount of small yellow and orange marigold seeds.  

EDIT 9/4/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

EDIT 9/4/25 -- I did more work around the patio.

*goflopnow*

Bad Advice

Sep. 4th, 2025 01:51 pm
ysabetwordsmith: Cartoon of me in Wordsmith persona (Default)
[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
"Of all forms of caution, caution in love is perhaps the most fatal to true happiness."
Bertrand Russell, The Conquest of Happiness

This is wrong to the point of dangerous. Caution in love is what makes you check life path compatibility before getting too deeply involved, thus preventing heartbreak between countryfolk and cityfolk who would be miserable in each other's habitats, or childfree and someone who wants a big family. Caution also observes a new love interest to see if they're raising red flags of abusive or otherwise alarming behavior. For extra credit, look for their annoying habits to determine whether those are things you could tolerate long-term.

In the interest of finding a good match, I recommend practicing Intellectual Foreplay. Also useful, well suited to dating context, with a convenient 3-stage process, are the 36 Questions to Fall in Love (or like).

(no subject)

Sep. 4th, 2025 01:17 pm
jhetley: (Default)
[personal profile] jhetley
"Kill 'em all, let God sort 'em out."

Your tax dollars at work.

Neighborly Request

Sep. 4th, 2025 10:56 am
dialecticdreamer: My work (Default)
[personal profile] dialecticdreamer
Our online friend [personal profile] chanter1944 needs help re-linking works from their old user name to the current one. (This affects the Schroedinger’s Heroes stories that they have written, specifically.) I have no idea how to do this, but there are plenty of people here who probably have a better clue about how to proceed. So I’m asking.
Read more... )

Life is suffering

Sep. 4th, 2025 07:04 am
jhetley: (Default)
[personal profile] jhetley
Air temperature 59 F, wind near calm, "mist" (not Myst) at the airport. We also have an elevated fire danger alert due to the continued drought. Need to get out and finish the driveway crack filler so it can cure before spreading seal coat. Whee.

Hobbies: Sewing

Sep. 4th, 2025 01:17 am
ysabetwordsmith: Cartoon of me in Wordsmith persona (Default)
[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
Folks have mentioned an interest in questions and conversations that make them think. So I've decided to offer more of those. This batch features hobbies.

Sewing is a hobby of making things from fabric, mostly clothes but also toys and other stuff. It includes both hand sewing and sewing machines. Note that most modern sewing machines are computers that sew, and lack certain features of older machines. If you feel frustrated by planned obsolescence, artificial intelligence, and other current issues then consider hand sewing as a form of protest. Nothing says "Fuck off, fast fashion!" like hand-rolling seams to make a 100% natural-fiber garment last for years and years.

On Dreamwidth, consider communities like [community profile] crafty, [community profile] everykindofcraft, [community profile] get_knitted, [community profile] justcreate, [community profile] quilting, [community profile] sewing, and [community profile] sewing101.

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