kengr | Reading

https://www.girlswithslingshots.com/comic/gws-hair-of-the-dog-800

New comic!
Today's News:

It's not that Maureen and Jameson didn't want to sleep in a hotel bed, it's just that they didn't want to have to bring ALL their books with them to choose from. This was easier and cheaper.

Here's the original post, and the chaser post!

https://www.girlswithslingshots.com/comic/gws-hair-of-the-dog-800

ysabetwordsmith

Here are the character notes for "The Unknown Depths of Our Lives."

( Read more... )

Current Mood: busy

ysabetwordsmith

This poem came out of the January 7, 2025 Poetry Fishbowl. It was inspired by a prompt from

readera. It also fills the "After the Fog" square in my 1-1-25 card for the Public Domain Day Bingo fest. This poem has been sponsored by a pool with

fuzzyred. It belongs to the series Arts and Crafts America.

( Read more... )

Current Mood: busy

conuly

The music is great, but the plot + worldbuilding raises some issues that they don't bother to even attempt to address properly.

( Read more... )

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

( Read more... )

dragon_doctors_feed

Posted by Speedball

https://dragondoctors.dhscomix.com/archives/comic/cary-wryyyyyy

https://dragondoctors.dhscomix.com/?post_type=comic&p=3715

More art! I’m doing my best work when I shoot from the hip these days, drawing stuff without planning too far ahead. It seems to be my achilles’ heel. I get bogged down trying to make things perfect.

https://dragondoctors.dhscomix.com/archives/comic/cary-wryyyyyy

https://dragondoctors.dhscomix.com/?post_type=comic&p=3715

ysabetwordsmith

Global warming could trigger the next ice age

Earth’s climate control system may cool so hard after warming that it freezes the planet over.

Scientists have uncovered a missing feedback in Earth’s carbon cycle that could cause global warming to overshoot into an ice age. As the planet warms, nutrient-rich runoff fuels plankton blooms that bury huge amounts of carbon in the ocean. In low-oxygen conditions, this process can spiral out of control, cooling Earth far beyond its original state. While this won’t save us from modern climate change, it may explain Earth’s most extreme ancient ice ages.

It's not missing and it's not new. This aspect of prehistoric climate change has been discussed for decades. Also several decades ago, as climate change began to attract more attention, there were debates over whether the bounce effect would cause global cooling instead of global warming. For a while there were disaster novels with an ice theme instead of a fire theme, before the current warming trend became more obvious.

However! Even global warming will making some areas drastically colder. Once the oceanic conveyor belt breaks -- which is already wobbling -- places like Britain will lose their warm currents and thus chill.

Current Mood: busy

ysabetwordsmith

Today is sunny and cool.

I fed the birds. I've seen a few sparrows and house finches. Some birds are singing in the south hedge.

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 12/21/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

EDIT 12/21/25 -- I did more work around the patio.

EDIT 12/21/25 -- I did more work around the patio.

I am done for the night.

Current Mood: busy

$mdlbear: blue fractal bear with text "since 2002" (Default)$

mdlbear

Damned if I know how to summarize this week. Mixed?

Embarrassingly, I managed to confuse two deliveries (see Monday) -- I think because they had the same last digit or so in their package numbers -- so I had to delete a couple of annoyed-sounding posts. Hopefully before anyone noticed. The Roamate (combo rollator/powered wheelchair) arrived less than an hour later. Karma, I guess. The device itself seems pretty good, modulo some wierd design decisions, but will take some getting used to before I can write a proper review.

On the other hand, Bronx has been becoming an absolute cuddle-bug. He likes to be picked up and carried, which can be very useful. He doesn't always settle down into my lap after that, but when he does he has a nice rumbly purr. And my medication is still being adjusted; I seem to be getting into somewhat better shape. It's still not great, but I'm not complaining.

On the gripping hand, (covered mobility scooter)Scarlet the Carlet is broken, with a circuit breaker that doesn't want to stay reset. N, G, and j managed to push her home (under a kilometer, and NL is basically flat) -- we'll call for repairs tomorrow sometime.

In the links: MIT physicists peer inside an atom’s nucleus using the fact that Radium monofluoride's electron cloud extends inside the Radium's somewhat pear-shaped nucleus. Wild. Both the technique, and the fact that that compound exists at all. At least it's nowhere near as unstable as FOOF.

The Star Gauge is fascinating. (m sent us a link on the family Discord, but it was to tumblr -- the wikipedia article is less problematic.)

( Notes & links, as usual )

Current Mood: calm
Current Location: Schildhaven in Den Haag
Current Music: some

oglaf_comic_feed

https://www.oglaf.com/plotthickener/

assignedmale_feed

https://assignedmale.tumblr.com/post/803489976655527936

https://assignedmale.tumblr.com/post/803489976655527936

daily_illuminator_feed

http://www.sjgames.com/ill/a/2025-12-21

Logos for Desert Bus for Hope, Gamers for Cures, Child's Play, and Turner Syndrome Society of the United States

We at Steve Jackson Games are honored to have the opportunity to partner with several great organizations who are using gaming for good.

Desert Bus for Hope is an annual livestream event which raises money for Child's Play. This year, Desert Bus streamed around the clock for just under seven full days. The fundraiser brought in an incredible $1,052,250 through live and silent auctions, plus giveaways, bringing their 18-year total to nearly $13,000,000.

In early November, Gamers for Cures hosted a 24-hour gaming marathon at Gamers Armory in Cary, North Carolina. Local players came together for their annual event and raised over $18,000 to benefit the Turner Syndrome Society of the Carolinas and the Turner Syndrome Society of the United States! Over the past 12 years, they have secured over $190,000 in donations for charity.

We extend our most sincere congratulations to both organizations on their tremendous achievements, and thank them for all they do to channel their passion for all things gaming into ways to give back to their communities.

– Michelle Richardson

Warehouse 23 News: The City Never Sleeps Because Of All The Action

There are a million stories in the city, and they're all exciting! GURPS Action 9: The City shows how you can add GURPS City Stats to your GURPS Action campaigns. It also features six sample cities to use with your own action-packed adventures. Download it today from Warehouse 23!

http://www.sjgames.com/ill/a/2025-12-21

ysabetwordsmith

Climate change, resistance, and doing the right thing now

No amount of intellectualising is going to change the fact that our climate is thermodynamically fucked.

That humans are economic toast.

Largely true.

( Read more... )

Current Mood: busy

apod_feed

https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap251220.html

A Solstice Sun Tattoo

https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap251220.html

dumbingofage_feed

Posted by David M Willis

https://www.dumbingofage.com/2025/comic/book-16/02-im-the-problem-its-me/positioning/

https://www.dumbingofage.com/?p=20874

https://www.dumbingofage.com/2025/comic/book-16/02-im-the-problem-its-me/positioning/

https://www.dumbingofage.com/?p=20874

ysabetwordsmith

Today we went up to Amish territory.

( Read more... )

Current Mood: busy

ysabetwordsmith

This poem came out of the December 3, 2024 Poetry Fishbowl. It was inspired by a prompt from

mama_kestrel. It also fills the "Window" square in my 11-1-24 card for the Sleepytime Bear fest. This poem has been sponsored by a pool with

fuzzyred. It belongs to the series Arts and Crafts America.

( Read more... )

Current Mood: busy

dialecticdreamer

Necessary Upgrade
By Dialecticdreamer/Sarah Williams
Part 1 of 1, complete
Word count (story only): 1363

:: Dunstan’s mattress is actively hostile, and ey aren’t going to put up with it any longer. The shopping trip, however, brings a surprising opportunity. General fiction, written for the December 2025 promptfest from a suggestion by

wispfox, with my thanks! ::

Dunstan winced as ey tried to roll eir shoulder. A line of fire burned from the base of eir skull down toward eir shoulder, and the sudden twang as something in the shoulder clicked sent pain rocketing into the top of eir skull. It snapped eir jaw shut so suddenly and sharply that ey bit eir tongue.

The pain faded after a moment, but the taste lingered. Dunstan hurried into the kitchen and rummaged on the bottom shelf of the door for the cans of flavored mineral water to find one of the strongest flavors. By the time ey returned to stare at the unmade bed, the raspberry taste had washed away the sharp copper clinging to his tongue.
( Read more... )

Current Mood: awake

ysabetwordsmith

Astronomers Find the First Compelling Evidence of "Monster Stars" in the Early Universe

Using the James Webb Space Telescope, a team of international researchers has discovered chemical fingerprints of gigantic primordial stars that were among the first to form after the Big Bang.