Climate Change

Mar. 29th, 2026 09:49 pm
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[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
Even moderate levels of warming can unleash extreme climate damage

Some climate futures at 3.6°F (2°C) of warming may be harsher for drought, rain, and fire than average projections at 5.4°F (3°C) or even 7.2°F (4°C), according to a new study.

The findings challenge a common assumption that moderate warming marks a boundary between manageable climate change and severe disruption.



2°C is not moderate. 1.5°C would have been moderate -- causing serious problems, but things civilization could withstand -- except we're far past being able to meet that goal2°C is tipping points dumping humans into a global environment unlike what they evolved to live in.  3°C is bend over and kiss your ass goodbye.  (Note that many scientists expect a rise of 3°C or more.)  But don't worry too much about Earth.  It has survived a lot worse.  Eventually species will adapt or new ones will evolve.

Bingo

Mar. 29th, 2026 09:46 pm
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[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
I have made blackout on my 3-1-26 card for the National Crafting Month Bingo fest.


B1 (smudges) -- "Confident Guesswork and Improvisation" (Frankenstein's Family)
B2 (mended clothes) -- "The Sisters Grimké" (Peculiar Obligations)
B3 (artisan) -- "Nuff Respect" (Polychrome Heroics: Trichromatic Attachments)
B4 (writing) -- "The Expression That Crosses Boundaries" (Polychrome Heroics: Shiv)
B5 (rag rugs) -- "Hidden Opportunities" (Polychrome Heroics and Schrodinger's Heroes)

I1 (ink pens) -- Photos: House Yard
I2 (thread) -- "Our Homemade Safety Nets" (Polychrome Heroics)
I3 (tension) -- "Find a Way Forward" (The Freaks Club)
I4 (upcycling) -- fruit box pots
I5 (lacking storage) -- "Foraging Forever" (A Conflagration of Dragons)

N1 (crocheting) -- studied video tutorials
N2 (time) -- "The Duplicity of Seasons" (The Freaks Club)
N3 (WILD CARD: paint) -- "Become for Us a Highway" (Feathered Nests)
N4 (sewing) -- "A Generous Impulse" (Polychrome Heroics: Iron Horses)
N5 (small spaces) -- "Walnut Park" (Polychrome Heroics: Broken Angels)

G1 (tangles) -- "Whirlwind Romances" (The Freaks Club)
G2 (stone) -- "A Darkness in the Sky" (standalone)
G3 (yarn) -- "Pearls of Wisdom" (Polychrome Heroics)
G4 (tape) -- "Colorful Opportunities" (Arts and Crafts America)
G5 (ribbon) -- "Refusing to Melt" (Alien Romance)

O1 (food) -- "Baked Innovation" (The Freaks Club)
O2 (woodworking) -- "A Proper Community Is a Commonwealth" (Polychrome Heroics: Broken Angels)
O3 (colors) -- "A Confusion of Honeybees" (standalone)
O4 (garden crafts) -- DIY tomato cage
O5 (poetry) -- "The Express Bus to Crazy-Ass Death Land" (Monster House)

Wildlife

Mar. 29th, 2026 05:25 pm
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[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
Beavers are turning rivers into powerful carbon sinks

Beavers might be one of nature’s most unexpected allies in locking away carbon and fighting climate change.

Beavers may be unlikely climate heroes, but new research suggests they could play a powerful role in fighting climate change. By building dams and transforming streams into wetlands, these industrious animals dramatically reshape how carbon moves and is stored in landscapes. Over just 13 years, a beaver-engineered wetland in Switzerland stored over a thousand tonnes of carbon—up to ten times more than similar areas without beavers.



It's not just carbon. Beavers also greatly reduce the impact of droughts and wildfires by storing water in the environment over large areas.  As ecosystem engineers, they create many more niches for other species to share the habitats they create -- fish, amphibians, aquatic invertebrates, weasels, minks, otters, wading birds, waterfowl, and so on.  Crucially, they do all this work for free.  All they need is space, saplings, and a thread of water.  So if you see an opportunity for beaver restoration, jump on it.

Birdfeeding

Mar. 29th, 2026 12:41 pm
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[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
Today is sunny, breezy, and cool.

I fed the birds.  I've seen a few sparrows and house finches.  A flock of blackbirds is flying around and singing.

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 3/29/26 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

EDIT 3/29/26 -- I trimmed brush around the Japanese maple tree.

EDIT 3/29/26 -- I trimmed brush between the parking lot and wild cherry grove, trying to reestablish a mow path there.

EDIT 3/29/26 -- I trimmed more brush along the mow path.

EDIT 3/29/26 -- I trimmed more brush along the mow path.

I've seen a mixed flock of sparrows and house finches, plus a fox squirrel.

EDIT 3/29/26 -- I filled a trolley with sticks and dumped it in the firepit.

I am done for the night.
 

Gaming

Mar. 29th, 2026 11:13 am
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[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
"'We were there in the 80s for the crash, and this is definitely crashier.'"

guess I can get where they're coming from, but I don't think the current video game industry crash feels, specifically, "crashier." It feels worse and bigger, most definitely, which is what they meant, I'm sure, but it doesn't really feel much like an actual "crash" at all, at least not in the usual sense of such things.


This discussion post links to the original article about problems in the video game industry.

Communities

Mar. 28th, 2026 07:39 pm
ysabetwordsmith: Cartoon of me in Wordsmith persona (Default)
[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
Musing on an essay: the commodification and enshittification of community

The fact that community is becoming a wellness trend—often with an aesthetic and hefty price tag—is very telling to me. Very exposing of the larger game at play here. Because upon hearing “loneliness kills”, the impulse wasn’t to rebuild the free, accessible infrastructure of community, and ask why we’re all too exhausted and automized to connect. It was to commodify connection—sell us Community as a product: friendship coaches, curated community memberships, networking events with entry fees, apps that gamify making friends.

Read more... )

Science

Mar. 28th, 2026 02:06 pm
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[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
Why human babies are born helpless yet highly aware of the world

Because they cannot survive alone, human development unfolds through constant care. Feeding, carrying, soothing, and protecting do more than keep infants alive – they shape what babies see, hear, and experience.

A baby who cannot crawl into a group still becomes part of it, because caregivers bring the world closer. In that sense, dependence does not slow development. It creates the conditions that development grows from.



This explains a lot about why isolated or neglected infants -- in hospitals, orphanages, disadvantaged homes, etc. -- so often fail to thrive or outright die. They are deprived of the developmental needs for attention, interaction, and bonding with adults that would have supported healthy growth. The result is the same as when nutritional needs go unmet.

Birdfeeding

Mar. 28th, 2026 01:52 pm
ysabetwordsmith: Cartoon of me in Wordsmith persona (Default)
[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
Today is sunny and chilly.

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

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 3/28/26 -- I did more work on the tomato cage.

EDIT 3/28/26 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

EDIT 3/28/26 -- I sowed chives, catnip, and lemon bergamot in former fruit boxes that should make good upcycled pots.

EDIT 3/28/26 -- I fastened the tomato cage to the new picnic table.  It's much less wobbly now.

EDIT 3/28/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

EDIT 3/28/26 -- I did some weeding around the forest garden.  There's a mayapple putting up leaves.  :D

I am done for the night.

Read "This is a prayer to Baba Yaga"

Mar. 28th, 2026 12:01 pm
ysabetwordsmith: (muse)
[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
This is a prayer to Baba Yaga; this is a prayer of resistance.


This is a prayer for Baba Yaga. This is a prayer for Resistance.

This is a prayer for the magic of chicken feet, the heat of old hates, the way old bones hurt. This is a prayer for Resistance
.

Philosophical Questions: Government

Mar. 28th, 2026 12:52 am
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[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
People have expressed interest in deep topics, so this list focuses on philosophical questions.

If you were given the ability to reform how your country’s leaders were chosen and how they serve, what would you change?

Read more... )


Wildlife

Mar. 28th, 2026 12:41 am
ysabetwordsmith: Cartoon of me in Wordsmith persona (Default)
[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
Incredible Video Shows Sperm Whales Come Together to Birth a Calf

The beautiful moment when an entire group of sperm whales came together to support the birth of a calf has, for the first time, been recorded in unprecedented detail.

Over several hours on 8 July 2023, scientists recorded two sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) family groups coming together in the Caribbean Sea off the coast of Dominica, taking turns to assist with the birth and help the newborn calf stay at the surface to take its first breaths
.


Species survival depends on cooperation.
ysabetwordsmith: Cartoon of me in Wordsmith persona (Default)
[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
Our theme for this session was "World Cuisine." I wrote from 12 PM to 3:45 AM, so about 13 hours 45 minutes, allowing for lunch and supper breaks. I wrote 3 poem on Tuesday plus 3 later in the week.

Participation was up, with 7 comments on LiveJournal and another 40 on Dreamwidth. A total of 11 people sent prompts. There were no new prompters.


Read Some Poetry!
The following poems from the March 3, 2026 Poetry Fishbowl have been posted:
"Confident Guesswork and Improvisation"
"Nuff Respect"
"Refusing to Melt"

"To Understand Water" (Polychrome Heroics, October 7, 2025 Poetry Fishbowl)


Buy some poetry!
If you plan to sponsor some poetry but haven't made up your mind yet, see the unsold poetry list from March 3. That includes the title, length, price, and the original thumbnail description for the poems still available.

This month's donors include: [Bad username or unknown identity: janetmiles>, <user name=], and Anthony Barrette. All sponsored poems from this fishbowl have been posted. There are 0 tallies toward a bonus fishbowl.


The Poetry Fishbowl has a landing page.
ysabetwordsmith: Cartoon of me in Wordsmith persona (Default)
[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
The following poems from the February 3, 2026 Poetry Fishbowl are currently available. Poems may be sponsored via PayPal -- there's a permanent donation button on my Dreamwidth profile page -- or you can write to me and discuss other methods. There are still verses left in the linkback poems "Delight in Another," "A Sense of Weather Changes," "Ouroboros Insects," "The Loving Embrace of Night," "Generations of Cooks Past," "Homefree and Clear, " "One Bite at a Time," "Stars and Diamonds," "Mishpocha," "Changing Your Nature," and "Besa."


"An Expression That Crosses Boundaries"
Story Date: Saturday, July 9, 2016
Summary: Shiv and Pain's Gray make treats to celebrate Rutledge setting up a teleport hub, and they visit Kardal at the Syrian Foods truck.
236 lines, Buy It Now = $118

Shiv had heard that Rutledge
was going to get a teleport hub
.


"Foraging Forever"
Summary: Refugees of the Fall struggle to find enough food and cope with cultural differences.
195 lines, Buy It Now = $98

If there was one thing
they all had in common
after the Fall, it was hunger
.


"Walnut Park"
Story Date: Monday, June 6, 2016
Summary: Boss Blaster looks at an empty lot and imagines a food truck park.
505 lines, Buy It Now = $253

Just after breakfast,
Boss Blaster's phone rang.

Checking the screen, he saw
that it was Farrah Van Andel,
his usual real estate agent
.

Space Exploration

Mar. 27th, 2026 05:55 pm
ysabetwordsmith: Cartoon of me in Wordsmith persona (Default)
[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
Moon base and Mars! NASA makes exciting announcements

NASA is committed to achieving the near-impossible once again, to return to the moon [by early 2029], build a moon base, establish an enduring presence, and do the other things needed to ensure American leadership in space.


It's good to hear serious space aspirations again.

Read more... )

Birdfeeding

Mar. 27th, 2026 12:57 pm
ysabetwordsmith: Cartoon of me in Wordsmith persona (Default)
[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
Today is cloudy, cold, and damp. It stormed last night, so we finally got a good soaking rain.

I fed the birds. I've seen a male cardinal.

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 3/27/26 -- I cleared dead stems from the telephone pole garden.

EDIT 3/27/26 -- I cleared dead stems from the septic garden.

I've seen a flock of sparrows.

EDIT 3/27/26 -- I cut four poles to make a tomato cage. This is the general concept.

I've seen a flock of house finches.

EDIT 3/27/26 -- I placed the poles around a large pot by the new picnic table garden, then started lashing them together. It needs more work and support, but at least it's started.

EDIT 3/27/26 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

EDIT 3/27/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

EDIT 3/27/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

I am done for the night.

Follow Friday 3-27-26: Manga

Mar. 27th, 2026 12:18 am
ysabetwordsmith: A blue sheep holding a quill dreams of Dreamwidth (Dreamsheep)
[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
Today's theme is Manga.

Read more... )

Poem: "A Generous Impulse"

Mar. 26th, 2026 11:10 pm
ysabetwordsmith: Damask smiling over their shoulder (polychrome)
[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
This poem came out of the March 17, 2026 Bonus Fishbowl. It was inspired by a prompt from [personal profile] chanter1944. It also fills the "Sewing" square in my 3-1-26 card for the National Crafting Month Bingo fest. This poem has been sponsored by [personal profile] janetmiles. It belongs to the Iron Horses thread of the Polychrome Heroics series.

Read more... )

Poem: "A Darkness in the Sky"

Mar. 26th, 2026 07:50 pm
ysabetwordsmith: Cartoon of me in Wordsmith persona (Default)
[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
This poem is spillover from the March 17, 2026 Bonus Fishbowl. It was inspired by a discussion with [personal profile] roughentumble. It also fills the "Stone" square in my 3-1-26 card for the National Crafting Month Bingo fest. This poem has been sponsored by [personal profile] janetmiles.

Read more... )

Community Thursdays

Mar. 26th, 2026 05:02 pm
ysabetwordsmith: A blue sheep holding a quill dreams of Dreamwidth (Dreamsheep)
[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
This year I'm doing Community Thursdays. Some of my activity will involve maintaining communities I run, and my favorites. Some will involve checking my list of subscriptions and posting in lower-traffic ones. Today I have interacted with the following communities...


* Posted "Photos: Charleston Food Forest Part 2 Left Side" in [community profile] birdfeeding.

* Posted "Birdfeeding" in [community profile] birdfeeding.

* Posted "2026 Rose & Bay Award Winners" in [community profile] crowdfunding.

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