Cyberspace Theory

Sunday, November 16th, 2025 11:46 pm
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[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
Self-Worth in the Digital Age

Why are we letting algorithms rewrite the rules of art, work, and life?

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Poem: "Better Than a Million Dollars"

Sunday, November 16th, 2025 11:18 pm
ysabetwordsmith: Cartoon of me in Wordsmith persona (Default)
[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
This is the freebie for the November [community profile] crowdfunding Creative Jam. It was inspired by a prompt from [personal profile] gs_silva. It also fills the "Once Upon a Time" square in my 11-1-25 card for the Fairy Tales and Fantasy Stories Bingo fest. This poem is based on graphic art by [personal profile] gs_silva.

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Food

Sunday, November 16th, 2025 03:13 pm
ysabetwordsmith: Cartoon of me in Wordsmith persona (Default)
[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
Extreme floods are slashing global rice yields faster than expected

Flooding is emerging as a silent but powerful destroyer of global rice supplies—and the danger is accelerating.

Scientists discovered that a week of full submergence is enough to kill most rice plants, making flooding a far greater threat than previously understood. Intensifying extreme rainfall events may amplify these losses unless vulnerable regions adopt more resilient rice varieties
.

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Birdfeeding

Sunday, November 16th, 2025 01:36 pm
ysabetwordsmith: Cartoon of me in Wordsmith persona (Default)
[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
Today is mostly sunny and cool.

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

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 11/16/25 -- We cut down a majority of the brush left in front of the garage.  We'll need to pick up inorganic debris from the ground and do some weedwhacking, and there's a section of brush left to clear.  Two larger stumps are beyond the capacity of the loppers.  But we made a lot of progress, more than I expected.  \o/

EDIT 11/16/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

EDIT 11/16/25 -- I did more work around the patio.

EDIT 11/16/25 -- I did more work around the patio.

I pulled weeds from around the birdgift apple tree, filled a trolley, and dumped that in the firepit.

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

Wildlife

Sunday, November 16th, 2025 12:16 am
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[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
Scientists recover 40,000-year-old mammoth RNA still packed with clues

Researchers decoded 40,000-year-old mammoth RNA, unlocking real-time biological secrets frozen since the Ice Age.

Researchers have sequenced the oldest RNA ever recovered, taken from a woolly mammoth frozen for nearly 40,000 years. The RNA reveals which genes were active in its tissues, offering a rare glimpse into its biology and final moments. Surprisingly, the team also identified ancient microRNAs and rare mutations that confirm their mammoth origin. The finding shows that RNA can endure millennia—reshaping how scientists study extinct species.

Creative Jam

Saturday, November 15th, 2025 11:51 pm
ysabetwordsmith: Cartoon of me in Wordsmith persona (Default)
[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
The November [community profile] crowdfunding Creative Jam is up with a theme of "Love and Sacrifice."  Come leave us prompts, or claim some for your own inspiration!

This is the 149th Creative Jam!  There is none in December, so January will be the 150th.  \o/


What I Have Written



From My Prompts



Creative Jam

Saturday, November 15th, 2025 11:41 pm
ysabetwordsmith: (Crowdfunding butterfly ship)
[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith posting in [community profile] crowdfunding
Welcome to the 149th Crowdfunding Creative Jam! This session will run Saturday, November 15-Sunday, November 16. The theme is "Love & Sacrifice."

Crowdfunding Creative Jam

Everyone is eligible to post prompts, which may be words or phrases, titles, images, etc. Prompters may request a specific creator, but everyone else may still use that prompt if they wish. Prompts may specify a particular character/world/etc. but creators may use the prompt for something else anyway and post the results. Prompters are still encouraged to post mostly prompts that anyone could use anywhere, as this maximizes the chance of having creators make something based on your prompt. Please title your comment "Prompt" or "Prompts" when providing inspiration so these are easy to find.

Prompt responses may also be treated as prompts and used for further inspiration. For example, a prompt may lead to a sketch which leads to a story, and so on. This kind of cascading inspiration is one of the most fun things about a collective jam session.

Everyone is eligible to use prompts, and everyone who wants to use a given prompt may do so, for maximum flexibility of creator choice in inspiration. You do not have to post a "Claim" reply when you decide to use a prompt, but this does help indicate what is going on so that other prompters can spread out their choice of prompts if they wish.

Creators are encouraged, but not required, to post at least one item free. Likewise, sharing a private copy of material with the prompter is encouraged but not required. Creative material resulting from prompts should be indicated in a reply to the prompt, with a link to the full content elsewhere on the creator's site (if desired); a brief excerpt and/or description of the material may be included in the reply (if desired). It helps to title your comment "Prompt Filled" or something like that so these are easy to identify. There is no time limit on responding to prompts. However, creators are encouraged to post replies sooner rather than later, as the attention of prompters will be highest during and shortly after the session.

Some items created from prompts may become available for sponsorship. Some creators may offer perks for donations, linkbacks, or other activity relating to this project. Check creator comments and links for their respective offerings.

Prompters, creators, and bystanders are expected to behave in a responsible and civil manner. If the moderators have to drag someone out of the sandbox for improper behavior, we will not be amused. Please respect other people's territory and intellectual property rights, and only play with someone else's characters/setting/etc. if you have permission. (Fanfic/fanart freebies are okay.) If you want to invite folks to play with something of yours, title the comment something like "Open Playground" so it's easy to spot. This can be a good way to attract new people to a shared world or open-source project, or just have some good non-canon fun.

Boost the signal! The more people who participate, the more fun this will be. Hopefully we'll see activity from a lot of folks who regularly mention their projects in this community, but new people are always welcome. You can link to this session post or to individual items created from prompts, whatever you think is awesome enough to recommend to your friends.

Today's Adventures

Saturday, November 15th, 2025 06:00 pm
ysabetwordsmith: Cartoon of me in Wordsmith persona (Default)
[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
Today we visited two events, the Otto Center Bazaar and a craft market at Cross County Mall.

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Birdfeeding

Saturday, November 15th, 2025 12:11 pm
ysabetwordsmith: Cartoon of me in Wordsmith persona (Default)
[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
Today is partly sunny and quite warm. It's already up to 75°F.

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

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 11/15/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

EDIT 11/15/25 -- I did more work around the patio.

EDIT 11/15/25 -- I did more work around the patio.

EDIT 11/15/25 -- I did more work around the patio.

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

Philosophical Questions: Censorship

Saturday, November 15th, 2025 12:52 am
ysabetwordsmith: Cartoon of me in Wordsmith persona (Default)
[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
People have expressed interest in deep topics, so this list focuses on philosophical questions.

Is some degree of censorship necessary?

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Politics

Friday, November 14th, 2025 09:31 pm
ysabetwordsmith: Cartoon of me in Wordsmith persona (Default)
[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
Why I Am Resigning from the Heritage Foundation (Guest-Post by Adam Mossoff)

[DB: This is a guest post from my Scalia Law colleague Professor Adam Mossoff, reprinting his letter to Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts resigning his position as a visiting fellow at the Foundation. As Adam says, this is a time for choosing on the political right: you either abandon conservatism and stand with Tucker Carlson and nihilism, collectivism, Nazism, and Jew hatred, or you stick up for (conserve, if you will) the American traditions of individual rights, religious and ethnic pluralism, and the rule of law.]


An interesting feature of modern politics is how often it highlights where people draw the line, that they are comfortable or tolerant of A-Y but not Z.

Communities

Friday, November 14th, 2025 07:41 pm
ysabetwordsmith: Cartoon of me in Wordsmith persona (Default)
[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
Want to build a deeper, richer community? Learning how to handle conflict is key, the Gottmans say

As Julie told Good Good Good, in the decades they have spent doing this work they have observed time and time again: “Conflict can really lead to greater understanding between people.”

The trick is approaching conflict with a goal to understand; not to conquer.

“Speak in such a way that you don't sabotage yourself getting listened to,” Julie said. “That means avoiding criticism, contempt, defensiveness, totally shutting down, or stonewalling.”


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Education

Friday, November 14th, 2025 07:35 pm
ysabetwordsmith: Cartoon of me in Wordsmith persona (Default)
[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
Virtual 'University Of The People' provides a free college education to anyone in the world

The university offers accredited certificates, associate and bachelor’s degree programs in business administration, computer science, and health science, and master’s degree programs in business administration, information technology, and education.

There is no tuition involved in obtaining a degree, but a variety of fees are required that add up to about $5,000 for a bachelor’s degree
.

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Birdfeeding

Friday, November 14th, 2025 01:26 pm
ysabetwordsmith: Cartoon of me in Wordsmith persona (Default)
[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
Today is mostly sunny and quite warm -- it's 75F outside.

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

I put out water for the birds.

Magpie Monday

Friday, November 14th, 2025 12:43 pm
ysabetwordsmith: Cartoon of me in Wordsmith persona (Default)
[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
Well, it's not Monday, but [personal profile] dialecticdreamer is running a Magpie prompt call that will stay open until Friday night. Leave prompts, get ficlets!

The theme for this month is Disruption and Opportunity.

Life throws disruptions at us all the time, but sometimes, those disruptions are opportunities. Genna Saint Croix, driving halfway across the country at the invitation of a lazy detective to check a John Doe body, has a major disruption amid a life-altering crisis already going on. That she stopped to help a teenager who convinced his pals not to rob her was an opportunity… for both of them.

Follow Friday 11-14-25: Kink

Friday, November 14th, 2025 02:55 am
ysabetwordsmith: A blue sheep holding a quill dreams of Dreamwidth (Dreamsheep)
[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
Today's theme is Kink. Obviously this is NSFW at most places.

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Food

Thursday, November 13th, 2025 05:12 pm
ysabetwordsmith: Cartoon of me in Wordsmith persona (Default)
[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
5 'foods of the future' that could help save the planet

Fortunately, regenerative agriculture, sustainable farming practices, and eco-friendly approaches are changing the way we farm, fish, and feast. From grain that’s been cultivated since 5000 BC to newly engineered “climate blend” bread, these five foods may have different histories, but they all have a part to play in future food menus.


I am increasingly interested in lesser-known, indigenous, and climate-resistant foods.

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Birdfeeding

Thursday, November 13th, 2025 05:09 pm
ysabetwordsmith: Cartoon of me in Wordsmith persona (Default)
[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
Today is partly cloudy and mild.

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

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 11/13/25 -- I watered the Egyptian walking onions.

I gathered seeds from the 'Shirley' landrace zinnias that I'm developing.

EDIT 11/13/25 -- I emptied the two spigot jugs of comfrey tea. The pure one had so little liquid that I just dumped it out, and it didn't have much of a smell, just kind of moldy. The one with a handful of leaves decanted 2 gallons of tea-colored liquid fertilizer, and not much noticable smell. That's the one I'm more likely to repeat. I never did get around to testing it because the weather was so sweltering most of the time. But I have it to try out in spring.

EDIT 11/13/25 -- I rinsed out the two spigot jugs and brought them in.

EDIT 11/13/25 -- We walked around the yard looking at places in the prairie garden that need to be mowed, trimmed and carried away a few branches, and now my partner Doug is out mowing.

EDIT 11/13/25 -- We walked around the yard again and got another strip mowed.

I did a lot of work around the patio.

I've seen a fox squirrel running through the trees.

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

Vocabulary: Carcinization

Wednesday, November 12th, 2025 10:12 pm
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[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
Carcinization is a form of convergent evolution in which non-crab crustaceans evolve a crab-like body plan. The term was introduced into evolutionary biology by Lancelot Alexander Borradaile, who described it in 1916 as "the many attempts of Nature to evolve a crab".

Crabs have evolved five separate times – why do the same forms keep appearing in nature?

... including at least one sexbot whose lower body is a mechanical battle crab. :D

Half-Price Sale in Polychrome Heroics

Wednesday, November 12th, 2025 08:04 pm
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[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
The  November 4, 2025 Poetry Fishbowl made its $300 goal, so there will be a half-price sale in Polychrome Heroics from Monday 17-Sunday 23.  Mark the dates on your calendar, and I hope to see you then!