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Yesterday we found patty pan squash, which I've been wanting to try. So today we made this. :D It turned out delicious.

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Jun. 14th, 2025 04:48 pm

Today's Adventures

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Today we went down to Toledo for the Thrift'n'Sip Indoor Rummage Sale. We were keenly interested in the indoor rummage sale but not the alcohol consumption. So we got up early in hopes of beating the crowd, which worked out well.

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Jun. 14th, 2025 03:10 pm

Conservation

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[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
French Polynesia created the world’s largest marine protected area

At the U.N. Ocean Conference this week, French Polynesia announced the creation of the world’s largest marine protected area, covering nearly 5 million square kilometers, or over 1.9 million square miles. It also plans to add another 500,000 square kilometers by next World Ocean Day.

Of that area, 1.1 million square kilometers (424,712 square miles) will be designated as highly or fully protected, meaning only traditional coastal fishing, ecotourism, and scientific research are allowed
.


It's a step forward, but my standard of FULLY protected means "humans don't go there." That's what is required for many edge-sensitive and disturbance-sensitive species. On land, if there is so much as a road through it, those species will avoid the area even if there are no vehicles using the road most of the time.
Jun. 14th, 2025 04:04 pm

(no subject)

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[personal profile] conuly
Minnesota House DFL leader Hortman, husband killed in apparent ‘politically motivated’ shooting; Sen. Hoffman, wife wounded

Authorities still searching for suspect in shooting of 2 Minnesota state lawmakers

Apparently he dressed up like a cop, because of course he did, and residents are advised not to open the door to police unless there are multiple officers present. I'd go one step further and say that you should never open the door to an unexpected official until you've confirmed that they're supposed to be there. If they are legit, they have an ID, and you have a phone number you can call - your local precinct, if they're cops, your gas company, whoever it is. (Uh. Maybe step out the back door to call if they say they're from the gas company. I mean, use your best judgment.)
Jun. 14th, 2025 04:01 pm

Weirdly specific firefox question

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[personal profile] conuly
If I'm typing a URL and I then use the scroll wheel to middle-click it in the address window it will open in a new tab rather than on the same tab I'm on.

Now, when I open a new tab by clicking a link to open a new tab it opens right next to the tab I'm on. If I do it via the address window or the new tab button then it opens all the way at the end of my tabs, which is annoying and disorienting if I'm not already all the way at the end.

Is there a setting, perhaps in about:config, that I can adjust to change this behavior so it always opens new tabs next to the one I'm on?
Jun. 17th, 2025 11:25 am

OMGOMGOMG!!!!

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[personal profile] conuly
The last season of The Strange Case of the Starship Iris is finally here.

Okay, only the first episode so far (and two pre-season teasers) but... omg.

I've summed this one up for you all before as "Everybody is gay while fighting fascism in space" and "Turns out, fascism is both racist and inefficient", so yes, that does make it the perfect thing to listen to while heading out to protest. (Speaking of....)

*****************


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Jun. 14th, 2025 11:11 am

Birdfeeding

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[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
Today is cloudy, mild, and damp.  It rained off and on yesterday.

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

EDIT 6/14/25 -- I put out water for the birds.

I did a bit of work around the patio.

EDIT 6/14/25 -- I did more work around the patio.

I've seen a skunk on the patio.

I checked the new picnic table and septic garden.  The first of the 'Chocolate Sprinkles' tomatoes is showing color.  :D  One of the chocolate cherry tomatoes has its first green fruit, and so does the 'Carmen' Italian sweet pepper.  The yellow squash just bloomed.  The zucchini has flower buds.

EDIT 6/14/25 -- I started trimming some low-hanging branches from the Home Base mulberry tree.  I filled a trolley with twigs and leaves, then dumped it in the brush pile.

EDIT 6/14/25 -- I trimmed more branches, filling another trolley.

I've seen a catbird and a mourning dove.

EDIT 6/14/25 -- I trimmed more branches, filling another trolley.

I found the first couple of ripe raspberries along the south fence in the ritual meadow.  I'll have to check the prairie garden tomorrow.

EDIT 6/14/25 -- I found a second log for the base of the next bonfire and put that in the firepit.  I started building the criss-cross chimney above it but then it got too dark to find the right kind of sticks.  I'll have to finish that tomorrow.

The fireflies are coming out.  :D  There are lots more tonight.  They love this warm damp weather. 

I saw at least 2 and probably 3 bats.  They're quite large for microbats, so likely big brown bats.  See bats of Illinois.  I'm thrilled to have bats, because the mosquitoes are also coming out.  Fly, my pretties, fly! \o/

As it is now dark, I am done for the night.
 
Jun. 14th, 2025 01:29 am

Creative Jam

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[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
The June [community profile] crowdfunding Creative Jam is now open with a theme of "Good vs. Bad."  Come give us prompts, or claim some for your own inspiration.


What I Have Written



From My Prompts




Jun. 14th, 2025 01:03 am

Philosophical Questions: Avoidable

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[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
People have expressed interest in deep topics, so this list focuses on philosophical questions.

What causes the most harm in the world, but is completely avoidable?


Gosh, that's a hard one. Personal vices leap readily to mind, like adultery and alcohol. But then there are things like climate change, which is created by humans, who could choose to stop pushing in that direction but won't.


Jun. 13th, 2025 09:54 pm

Today's Adventures

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[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
Today we went to the Marshall Farmer's Market. It's an evening market from 6-8 PM, followed by a band concert, which is way better than a morning one.

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Jun. 13th, 2025 07:56 pm

Conflict and Policies

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[personal profile] pennswoods
I am the president of a European-based organization that focuses on collaborative projects between classes/groups of people in different countries and contexts, Our membership includes Israeli academics and Palestinian academics, the latter of which are often based outside of Palestine and in Jordan, Canada, the US.

In January, a member of our training team received an email criticizing her involvement in a panel that included a researcher from an Israeli university that has ties to the IDF. The email was from a Palestinian-American based in California who had spoken at a webinar on decoloniality hosted by our orginization but is herself not a member of our organization. The criticized member of our organization requested that we have an explicit policy regarding organization members collaborating with or being involved with Israeli organizations. The outcome of our discussion and vote was that individual members are free to choose who they partner with but when members are representing the organization that the management board vet the collaboration in cases of uncertainty or conflict to ensure the partnership aligns with our values.

Initially the question was targeted at Israel (i.e. whether we should collaborate with Israeli institutions) but some on the management board (including me) argued that this is too country specific and there may be other countries (like the US) that are similarly violating organizational values and we don't want to have to come up with a new policy for every country. Although not everyone supported this position (some wanted an explicit anti-Israel stance and others wanted to remain entirely neutral) this decision was passed by a majority vote.

Now I have been contacted by the editors of our journal who want to know what our policy is regarding journal editors having explicit political statements in their email signature. I believe this pertains to one of our journal's associate editors who is a Palestinian-Jordanian PhD student in Canada having an explicit pro-Palestinian signature in her university email, which is the email she uses for correspondence for the journal. I have asked the editor to submit this to the management board to discuss. 

However, on a personal level, I'm really tired and annoyed by people wanting a policy forbidding involvement with or explicit support of countries in conflict. I can understand this on an abstract level, but on a visceral level and because I am in a country where these specific countries and positions are being used by bad actors, I do not want to indulge the banning of any of them. It is possible the email signature promotes genocide, but that is a step beyond being political (which is what the journal editors were worried about). To educate is to be political and all of us in the organization are in the business of promoting internationalization and global citizenship. So banning political signatures seems to really misunderstand what the hell we're doing. 

At the same time, I question my own thinking on this. I do not want to abandon our Israeli colleagues, many of whom despise what their government is doing and are advocating for peace and support for Gaza. I also do not want to tell people who are facing the obliteration of their people and culture to tone down their email signature - what the ever-living fuck!

The good thing out of this is that it is making me aware of my values on some level, but it is also making me question whether my values are right in this situation.
Jun. 13th, 2025 04:21 pm

New Communities

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[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
[community profile] musicianships 
We Are The Scene.
This Community is for everyone who is involved in music in any way.
[Found via [personal profile] gothfvck]
Jun. 13th, 2025 03:21 pm

Russian Losses

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[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
This cartoon is true, as far as it goes.

But if you think Russia is likely to blink at those losses, think again.
Jun. 13th, 2025 03:16 pm

Poetry Fishbowl Themes for Late 2025

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[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
This poll covers the ideas proposed in the recent call for themes. Everyone is eligible to vote in this poll. I will keep it open until at least Saturday night. If there are clear answers then, I'll close it. Otherwise I may leave it open a little longer. If you don't have a Dreamwidth account, you can vote in an anonymous comment or email to me, but include some kind of handle to distinguish yourself.

For this poll, you can vote for as many themes as you find appealing. I recommend that you don't vote for all of them, since that makes it harder to whittle down the list. The themes are arranged in alphabetical order.

Here are your options ...

Poll #33248 Poetry Fishbowl Themes for Late 2025
Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 19


Which of these themes do you want featured in future fishbowls?

View Answers

Angels and Demons
5 (26.3%)

Apocalyptic Visions
3 (15.8%)

Books and Learning
11 (57.9%)

Building Mental Linkages
2 (10.5%)

Changing Personality One Habit at a Time
8 (42.1%)

Communication Styles
10 (52.6%)

Dealing with Frustration
7 (36.8%)

Emotional Regulation
9 (47.4%)

Empathy and Understanding
3 (15.8%)

Empowering Language
6 (31.6%)

Ergonomics
1 (5.3%)

Exercise and Stretching
2 (10.5%)

Faeries and Fey
9 (47.4%)

False Economy
4 (21.1%)

Fixing Loneliness or Overwhelm
8 (42.1%)

Fixit
6 (31.6%)

Goddesses and Divas
7 (36.8%)

Immigrants and Refugees
8 (42.1%)

"Knowledge is power. Power corrupts. Study hard. Be evil."
8 (42.1%)

Knowledge Webs
3 (15.8%)

Language as Power and Power as a Language
7 (36.8%)

Leadership in Unusual Situations
6 (31.6%)

Managing Change and Disruption
2 (10.5%)

Non-Book Learning and Knowledge
8 (42.1%)

Ordinary Characters in Epic Stories
8 (42.1%)

Overlooked Key Moments
2 (10.5%)

Patterns and Patterning
9 (47.4%)

Personhood
5 (26.3%)

Pirates, Rascals, and Rogues
3 (15.8%)

Putting Traumatic Memories in Context
4 (21.1%)

Recognition and Recollection
3 (15.8%)

Sentient and Self-Aware Machines
9 (47.4%)

Strength in Numbers or Alone
4 (21.1%)

Time Travel Twists
9 (47.4%)

Unexpected Leadership
8 (42.1%)

Unlikely or Unwieldy Weapons
6 (31.6%)

Weaponized Incompetence and Malicious Compliance
11 (57.9%)

Westerns
2 (10.5%)

Work, Leisure, and Hobbies
6 (31.6%)

ysabetwordsmith: Cartoon of me in Wordsmith persona (Default)
[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
A friend tipped me to this campaign: Take Us North is a video game about migrants trying to cross the border into the United States of America. If you're interested and jump fast, you may be able to catch the Early Bird reward in the first 24 hours at $25, after that it jumps to $35 minimum. I backed it because I want to project to exist -- tell ALL the stories, and poke a bigot in the eye!

Take Us North description
A narrative adventure/survival game that follows the journeys of migrants and asylum seekers on their way to cross the US-Mexico border

$6,056 pledged of $30,000 goal
95 backers
29 days to go

🎮 [Early Bird] Take Us North!
$25
Backers 52
Estimated delivery Dec 2026
🚨FIRST 24 HOURS DISCOUNT!🚨 Receive a digital copy of Take Us North (PC/Steam) and digital wallpapers!
3 items included
Digital Copy of the Game Quantity: 1
High-Resolution Digital Wallpapers Quantity: 1
Invitation to Virtual Community Launch Party Quantity: 1

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Jun. 13th, 2025 02:28 pm

Birdfeeding

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[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
Today is cloudy and steamy.  It rained last night.

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

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 6/13/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

It started mizzling.
conuly: (Default)
[personal profile] conuly
No, but I'd like to tell you that you urgently need a proofreader. Are you aware that you just made me answer the same question about my desired salary three different ways? Once was plenty enough! Also, why are you asking what currency I want it in, and since you are asking, why is one time US dollar at the top of the drop down and the other two times it's alphabetical under "United States"? Did you even look at this before posting, and once again afterwards?

(These people really urgently need help with this, but unless this is a Secret Test I guess telling them wouldn't help me much.)

Alternative answer to the question: "Yes, I'd like to tell you that I really need money, please give me some, with or without hiring me first."

**************


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Jun. 13th, 2025 12:49 am

Politics

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[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
Governor JB Pritzker (Dem IL) to Rep. Mary Miller: "I refuse to be lectured to by somebody who extols the virtue of Hitler."

I can't remember the last time I felt so represented by one of my actual representatives. \o/

Sometimes, you just gotta call a spade a spade.
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Jun. 13th, 2025 12:02 am

Follow Friday 6-13-24: Hetalia

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[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
Today's theme is Hetalia. Initially a webcomic, Hetalia was later adapted as a serialized manga and an anime series. The series personifies the nations of the world into immortal anthropomorphic characters and presents an allegorical (and often satirical) interpretation of political, historical, and cultural events throughout history and the present day. This riff is a personal favorite.

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[personal profile] conuly
Well, that kinda covers the gamut of illness there, so maybe figure it out?

*********************


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