lupagreenwolf | Reading

Today is sunny and mild.

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

I put out water for the birds.

.

Current Mood: busy

ysabetwordsmith

People have expressed interest in deep topics, so this list focuses on philosophical questions.

As people, we feel our moral obligation weaken with physical as well as emotional distance from individuals in need. For example, you’re more likely to help someone dying of hunger at your feet than someone dying of hunger in another country. How does this human trait of morality dependent on distance shape our world?

( Read more... )

Current Mood: busy

ysabetwordsmith

The general fund currently contains $25. Everyone is eligible to vote in this poll. I will keep it open at least until Saturday night. If there is a clear answer then, I'll close it. Otherwise I may leave it open at least a little longer. Here are your options...

"Babes in the Pineywoods" needs $25 to be complete. You could finish that one.

There are 2 unsold poems from the May 6, 2025 Poetry Fishbowl that could be opened for microfunding:

"Cause a Riot of Color"
[Evening of Wednesday, September 14, 2016]
Shiv welcomes Creamjeans and Bo-Art to Omaha.
263 lines, Buy It Now = $132

"A Lens of Ice"
Johan intervenes in a squabble and meets someone from the Triton Teen Center.
147 lines, Buy It Now = $74

Poll #33128 General Fund Poll

Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 9

View Respondents

What do you want to do with the $25?

View Answers

Finish "Babes in the Pineywoods"
7 (77.8%)

Open "Cause a Riot of Color" for microfunding
0 (0.0%)

Open "A Lens of Ice" for microfunding
2 (22.2%)

Current Mood: busy

ysabetwordsmith

Today we went to Arthur's Strawberry Jam Spring Festival. It's not very big this year, only a couple of blocks, but that's okay because the weather was hot and steamy, and with a small event we actually did get to see it all.

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Current Mood: happy

ysabetwordsmith

Today is hot and steamy, not quite as bad as yesterday.

I fed the birds. I've seen a mixed flock of sparrows and house finches plus the phlegmatic young fox squirrel.

I put out water for the birds.

I put out the flats of pots.

EDIT 5/16/25 -- We went to the Strawberry Festival. On the way home, we stopped at Backyard Garden greenhouse and I picked up a flat of plants.

EDIT 5/16/25 -- I watered the flats of pots.

EDIT 5/16/25 -- I was going to plant some African marigolds, but the wind started howling and I could see rain in the distance, so I brought everything back indoors. Eh, at least the downdrafts made everything cooler.

I found a squirrel tail and a few tufts of fur, so I expect that the careless young fox squirrel became somebody's lunch.

EDIT 5/16/25 -- And now it's raining. \o/

EDIT 5/16/25 -- It rained off and on, then stopped.

I did a bit of work around the patio.

I collected some microfauna and installed them in the cookie jar terrarium.

I planted 12 assorted yellow and orange African marigolds around the telephone pole garden. Some of the seeds there are sprouting too. :D

I've seen a male cardinal and a young fox squirrel.

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

Current Mood: busy

ysabetwordsmith

Today's theme is Heroes.

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Current Mood: busy

ysabetwordsmith

Jupiter’s auroras caught on film. Watch here!

Current Mood: busy

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.

Jewelry making is a hobby of creating adornments such as earrings, bracelets, necklaces, or rings. It includes such methods as beading, metalwork, glasswork, and even string. It can be affordable or expensive. People of all ages enjoy this hobby, and it's one that many kids get into with friendship bracelets and such.

On Dreamwidth, consider creative communities like

crafty,

get_knitted,

justcreate, or

nacramamo.

( Read more... )

Current Mood: busy

siderea

Story has it that a thief was captured and hauled before the local ruler. "Give me one good reason I shouldn't have you put to death," the monarch said. The thief replied, "Your majesty, I can teach your finest horse to sing – if you give me a year to do it!" The court burst out in laughter at this, and the ruler, bemused, said, "Very well. You will be imprisoned in the royal stable besides my finest stallion, and in a year if he cannot sing, you will be put to death." So every day the prisoner sang to the horse. Eventually one of the stablehands sneered at the prisoner, "I don't see why you bother. Everyone knows horses can't sing. Your stupid gambit gained you nothing."

"To the contrary!" replied the prisoner with equanimity, "It gained me a whole year which I didn't have before. A lot can happen in a year. The king may die. The horse may die. I may die.

And maybe he horse will learn to sing."

I just got this email announcement from Patreon:

A big win for creators

We've got great news: you'll soon be able to earn from U.S. fans through the iOS app again, and the November 2025 subscription billing requirement deadline is no longer in effect.

Thanks to a recent U.S. court ruling, Apple must now allow apps to offer U.S. based users checkout options outside of Apple's in-app purchase system (which includes the 30% Apple fee)—something that was previously prohibited under Apple's App Store requirements.

[...]

Last year, we let you know that all creators would need to switch to subscription billing by November 2025. This forced switch wasn't something we chose — it was the result of needing to comply with Apple's requirements at the time or risk the removal of Patreon's app from the App Store. While we've long believed subscription billing is the strongest long-term model for creators, forced compliance with Apple's mandates and deadlines was obviously not how we ever wanted to roll out changes to creators on Patreon.

We've stayed in close conversation with Apple and have continued advocating for a more flexible approach — one that gives creators more time and choice. As a result of the recent court ruling and changes on Apple's end, the November 2025 deadline is no longer in effect.

In other words, no, I don't have to convert away from the by-works funding model.

Yet again I have prevailed over adversity by means of my greatest superpower: spite procrastination.

Sucks to be a responsible Patreon creator who duly responded to the deadline by converting their account – Patreon doesn't let you revert that change – or by migrating off Patreon well in advance. Those folks kind of got screwed. I know that if I had bailed to some sort of lifeboat option, and possibly paid handsomely and compromised my personal security to do it, I would be really pissed off right about now.

ysabetwordsmith

Today I planted the cookie jar terrarium. This fills "the green stuff" square in my 5-1-25 card for the Colors Fest bingo. See Part 1: Setup.

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Current Mood: accomplished

ysabetwordsmith

While pushing ‘America First,’ Trump set to accept Qatar’s luxury jet as Air Force One

The Qatari plane and its whiff of excess would also seem at odds with Trump’s message that Americans may have to make do with less as he remakes the global economic order.

Well, if anybody knows whoring, it Qatar. This situation just begs for a bra-drop cartoon. Or maybe a stripper pole.

Current Mood: busy

ysabetwordsmith

Baby Is Healed With World’s First Personalized Gene-Editing Treatment

Instead, KJ has made medical history. The baby, now 9 ½ months old, became the first patient of any age to have a custom gene-editing treatment, according to his doctors. He received an infusion made just for him and designed to fix his precise mutation.

THIS is what gengineering is for. It's also why research into human genetics and gengineering is essential.

( Read more... )

Current Mood: busy

ysabetwordsmith

Today is the last day of Three Weeks for Dreamwidth. It's time to wrap up your projects from this event.

You can revisit my opening post above to see what other folks did during this event. Today is a good time to revisit new friends or communities and think about adding them if you have not already done so. Check for finished lists from folks who set a goal of posting every day, or making three anchor posts, to catch anything cool that you might have missed in the scurry. Revisit recent friending memes (some are linked in that post) and Add Me communities to read late entries.

Three Weeks for Dreamwidth April 25-May 15

Three Weeks for Dreamwidth April 25-May 15

( Read more... )

Current Mood: accomplished

ysabetwordsmith

Today is sunny, steamy, and hot. :P It's 86°F with a heat index of 92°F. I still have a bunch of things to plant, but I doubt I'll get much yardwork done in this weather. A beautiful day to stay indoors and write! Or possibly work on the in-progress terrarium with the fern. Tomorrow is supposed to be a little cooler.

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

I put out water for the birds.

I put out the 3 partial flats of pots and watered them, along with the strawberry towers.

EDIT 5/15/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

It's currently 87°F with a heat index of 92°F.

I've seen several mourning doves, a female goldfinch, and a young fox squirrel.

EDIT 5/15/25 -- I've seen a brown-headed cowbird.

The pink bergamot in the strip garden is blooming! :D I confess that I picked off the trumpets from an entire flower head and ate them all.

EDIT 5/15/25 -- I assembled the cookie jar terrarium. \o/

I've seen a female rose-breasted grosbeak. :D No male, but one visited earlier in spring.

EDIT 5/15/25 -- I

Current Mood: busy

ysabetwordsmith

US reportedly plans to slash bank rules imposed to prevent 2008-style crash

The move follows heavy lobbying by the banking industry, with lenders such as JP Morgan and Goldman Sachs having long complained that competition and lending have been hindered by burdensome rules governing the assets they must hold versus their liabilities.

Regulators are expected to put forward the proposals this summer, aimed at cutting the supplementary leverage ratio that requires big banks to hold high-quality capital against risky assets including loans and derivatives, according to the Financial Times, which cited unnamed sources.

There is a limit to how much you can do to defend yourself against other people's poor life choices. Every time the 1% go for a joyride and crash the economy, the 99% pay the price. But you can choose where to store your funds, and that can make a huge difference. If you put your money into a credit union instead of a conventional bank, then there is much less tendency toward risky ventures because the officers are elected from among the members who keep their money in the credit union. Find a credit union near you.

Current Mood: busy

ysabetwordsmith

Fossil tracks show reptiles appeared on Earth up to 40 million years earlier

The origin of reptiles on Earth has been shown to be up to 40 million years earlier than previously thought -- thanks to evidence discovered at an Australian fossil site that represents a critical time period. Scientists have identified fossilized tracks of an amniote with clawed feet -- most probably a reptile -- from the Carboniferous period, about 350 million years ago.

So exciting! :D