Chapter 101: Strength
Dec. 1st, 2025 12:00 am![[syndicated profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/feed.png){kind=small}
gunnerkrigg_feedA new chapter is here!
Thank you for reading along.
Thank you for reading along.
gunnerkrigg_feed
Monday Update 12-1-25
Dec. 1st, 2025 02:08 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ysabetwordsmithThese are some posts from the later part of last week in case you missed them:
Today's Cooking
Artificial Intelligence
Bingo
History
Birdfeeding
Dreamwidth Points
New Year's Resolutions Check In
News
Moment of Silence: Leslie Fish
Science
Shop for Good Sunday
Wildlife
Vocabulary: Xenoparity
Space Exploration
Safety
Birdfeeding
Wildlife
Philosophical Questions: Wants
Poetry Fishbowl Report for November 4, 2025
Unsold Poems for the November 4, 2025 Poetry Fishbowl
Early Humans
Birdfeeding
Follow Friday 11-28-25: Active Communities on Dreamwidth Fall 2025 A-I
Recipe: "Crockpot Smoked Turkey Leg with Beans"
Communities
Climate Change
Holiday Love Meme
Birdfeeding
Today's Cooking
Food
Birdfeeding
Poem: "No Worthless Herbs"
Wildlife
Hard Things
Trauma has 45 comments. Affordable Housing has 74 comments. Robotics has 101 comments.
Today is Cyber Monday. See previous holidays:
Small Business Saturday (Alas, our plans were snowed out!)
Shop for Good Sunday
Buy Nothing Day (with links to activities)
Winterfaire 2025 is now open! List a Booth for anything you sell that would make good holiday gifts, or comment with what you're shopping for to crowdsource ideas. There are links to two similar shopping events online. if you know others, please pass the word.
"An Inkling of Things to Come" belongs to Polychrome: Shiv and needs $191 to be complete. Maiara and Arthur discuss taking notes.
The weather has been cold and snowy here. Seen at the birdfeeders this week: a large mixed flock of sparrows and house finches, two female and three male cardinals, a dark-eyed junco, and a mourning dove. I also saw the great horned owl flying out of the ritual meadow.
Today's Cooking
Artificial Intelligence
Bingo
History
Birdfeeding
Dreamwidth Points
New Year's Resolutions Check In
News
Moment of Silence: Leslie Fish
Science
Shop for Good Sunday
Wildlife
Vocabulary: Xenoparity
Space Exploration
Safety
Birdfeeding
Wildlife
Philosophical Questions: Wants
Poetry Fishbowl Report for November 4, 2025
Unsold Poems for the November 4, 2025 Poetry Fishbowl
Early Humans
Birdfeeding
Follow Friday 11-28-25: Active Communities on Dreamwidth Fall 2025 A-I
Recipe: "Crockpot Smoked Turkey Leg with Beans"
Communities
Climate Change
Holiday Love Meme
Birdfeeding
Today's Cooking
Food
Birdfeeding
Poem: "No Worthless Herbs"
Wildlife
Hard Things
Trauma has 45 comments. Affordable Housing has 74 comments. Robotics has 101 comments.
Today is Cyber Monday. See previous holidays:
Small Business Saturday (Alas, our plans were snowed out!)
Shop for Good Sunday
Buy Nothing Day (with links to activities)
Winterfaire 2025 is now open! List a Booth for anything you sell that would make good holiday gifts, or comment with what you're shopping for to crowdsource ideas. There are links to two similar shopping events online. if you know others, please pass the word.
"An Inkling of Things to Come" belongs to Polychrome: Shiv and needs $191 to be complete. Maiara and Arthur discuss taking notes.
The weather has been cold and snowy here. Seen at the birdfeeders this week: a large mixed flock of sparrows and house finches, two female and three male cardinals, a dark-eyed junco, and a mourning dove. I also saw the great horned owl flying out of the ritual meadow.
December Monthly Post
Dec. 1st, 2025 01:49 amysabetwordsmith posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
crowdfundingWhat are your planned crowdfunding projects for December? What did you accomplish during November?
There is no Creative Jam in December. The January 2026crowdfunding Creative Jam will run Saturday 17-Sunday 18 with a theme of "Memories." That will be our 150th Creative Jam, wow! I hope everyone shows up for it.
There is no Creative Jam in December. The January 2026
crowdfunding Creative Jam will run Saturday 17-Sunday 18 with a theme of "Memories." That will be our 150th Creative Jam, wow! I hope everyone shows up for it.Girl Genius for Monday, December 01, 2025
Dec. 1st, 2025 05:00 amgirlgenius_main_feedThe Girl Genius comic for Monday, December 01, 2025 has been posted.
Cyber Monday
Dec. 1st, 2025 12:24 amysabetwordsmithToday is Cyber Monday. This holiday focuses on shopping online. It has surpassed Black Friday as the biggest shopping day of the year! \o/
( Read more... )
( Read more... )
Today's Cooking
Dec. 1st, 2025 12:10 amysabetwordsmithSunday night I made Sunny Honey Cookies. These are soft, pillowy cookies almost like a muffin, full of minced candied ginger and sunflower seeds. :D
December 1, 2025: Holiday Savings From Steve Jackson Games
Dec. 1st, 2025 06:15 amdaily_illuminator_feed
It's that time of year again – time to start preparing for holiday gifting! Instead of braving long lines and crowded stores, you can shop from the comfort of your couch with seasonal savings from Steve Jackson Games. Dozens of games, dice, books, and other accessories on are sale up to 23% off now through December 14!
Elevate your next Car Wars or RPG session with playmats, dice, and supplemental books. Unique dice that can't be found anywhere else are also discounted, and they include the Eye of Horus d6 Dice Set, the stunning Fantasy Trip: Wizard Metal 25mm d6, the sweet Snowflake d6 Dice Set, and so many more.
Elevate your next Car Wars or RPG session with playmats, dice, and supplemental books. Unique dice that can't be found anywhere else are also discounted, and they include the Eye of Horus d6 Dice Set, the stunning Fantasy Trip: Wizard Metal 25mm d6, the sweet Snowflake d6 Dice Set, and so many more.
For an instant game night, bundle up and save big on groups of games for cat lovers and families. Then stuff your stockings with sets of Christmas games and RPG dice.
Looking for an easy gift? Check out the merry Munchkin Gift Pack which features three stand-alone Munchkin games – Munchkin Lite, Munchkin Spell Skool, and Munchkin Grimm Tidings. Each game is individually gift wrapped with gift tags, and thee gift box comes with a holiday card and five promo cards.
These are only a few of the fantastic deals you can score. Browse our online store, Warehouse23.com, today and get a jump on your festive shopping!
Please note that discounts will be reflected once added to your cart.
Please note that discounts will be reflected once added to your cart.
– 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!
CYBER MONDAY sale!
Dec. 1st, 2025 04:00 amdumbingofage_feed
It’s a Monday! For cybering! I think! Anyway, today you can use code MONDAY25 at the Dumbing of Age online store to get 25% off any order larger than $20!
El Goonish Shive - falsekings-075
Dec. 1st, 2025 12:00 amegs_comic_feed
New comic!
Today's News:
"Actually, no. I've never wondered about that."
"Really? Huh."
- Edward talking about Jeremy being a guard cat
- Jeremy actually appears (next page)
- Hope running to the stairs with Jeremy
Considering probability
This page is an example of me having to stop and think about what characters would have done.
Would Edward have tested magic on his pet cat?
No!
Would Edward have attempted to use magic to get his pet cat out from under a dresser to keep an appointment?
Yeah, I don't think there's any doubt about that.
Targeting!
Whether or not a magic ability can be used on Jeremy depends a lot on how that magic "gets" to Jeremy.
Let's say you're a wizard in a turn-based roleplaying video game, and you get into a random encounter with a slime, a horned rabbit, and a Jeremy.
You have the spell "OW!" that can harm an enemy after selecting them. You can select the slime or the horned rabbit, but when you try to move the cursor over to Jeremy, you just get an annoying error noise. While attempting to use "OW!", it's like he's not even there.
However, you also have the spell "Throw a Rock" (which is most definitely magic and not just throwing a rock). There's a chance the rock can miss whatever it's thrown at, but it's an aim and let loose sort of thing. You're "targeting" with your eyes, not magic senses. You can throw the magic rock at Jeremy.
You don't, however, because we like Jeremy.
Which, incidentally, is why you don't cast your third spell, "Area of Effect Fire Nonsense." You still get the error noise if you try to select Jeremy with it, but you could center it on the slime instead. Since the result affects both the target and the area around it, Jeremy would get hit by it.
Which is why, instead, you run away.
Or try to, but the horned rabbit blocks your path! OH NO! Fortunately for you, it turns out Jeremy wasn't there as an enemy, but an ally! He chases off the monsters! Once they're gone, he demands praise. Just be sure to pet in the right direction.
--
Girls With Slingshots - GWS Hair of the Dog #785
Nov. 30th, 2025 10:00 pmgws_feed
New comic!
Today's News:
Like, I know I wrote this, so of course I feel this way, but: I think all vows should be this specific. Aww.
Here's the original post for this one! And the chaser!
Oh, and for those who aren't on every single other notification service I have, BIG NEWS!! The big huge GWS compendium is on sale for $55 instead of $75 right now!
($75 if you add bookplates!)
I'll keep the sale going until I can't pack & ship any more orders, which will probably be by the end of this week. So get it while you can!
I also have a huge clearance section full of original art and items that I just have too many of. Like:
Original art for my Daily Comics (almost all of them are just $25!)...
Daily Comics collections, one for $4 or both for $6...
Pride stickers, a buck each or ten for $5...
Collection of figure drawings, just $4...
My Scarification comic, $3 for one print or $5 for two...
And there's more, but I'll quit overloading this post with images now. You can go straight to the section called CLEARANCE ITEMS WOOOOO!
Almost everything is HALF OFF, and if you're a Patreon member of mine, you can use the discount codes that I include at the end of almost every post I make to get an additional 50% off, which, yes, is kind of nuts, but Patreon pays my bills so I like to treat the people who make that possible. :)
Artificial Intelligence
Nov. 30th, 2025 08:39 pmysabetwordsmithWriting in a world where AI exists
Earlier today, someone sent me a screenshot. It was my essay about Bard the Bowman from Tolkien’s “The Hobbit,” fed through an AI detector, with a score blazing across the top: “100% AI-generated.” The essay opened with an anecdote about watching the movie with my best friend, explored Tolkien’s WWI trauma and how it shaped the character, and ended with the line “Sometimes you kill the dragon. Sometimes the town burns anyway.”
That's a logical fallacy: Appeal to Authority. In this case, imaginary, hallucinating authority, but still it's a case where someone doesn't address the content but simply dismisses it by pointing to someone or something official. Oh wait, there's a more specific version: Appeal to False Authority.
Everyone wrongly accused of using AI should respond with a "Logical Fallacy: Appeal to False Authority" and link to your favorite reliable source for logic references. If nothing else, it will help raise awareness of this very common logical fallacy, which would be very useful in today's baloney-filled society.
Also in venues you control, don't hesitate to disemvowel, strikethrough, or delete garbage comments. There's no need to leave verbal dog shit on the floor for other people to step in and track around.
( Read more... )
Earlier today, someone sent me a screenshot. It was my essay about Bard the Bowman from Tolkien’s “The Hobbit,” fed through an AI detector, with a score blazing across the top: “100% AI-generated.” The essay opened with an anecdote about watching the movie with my best friend, explored Tolkien’s WWI trauma and how it shaped the character, and ended with the line “Sometimes you kill the dragon. Sometimes the town burns anyway.”
That's a logical fallacy: Appeal to Authority. In this case, imaginary, hallucinating authority, but still it's a case where someone doesn't address the content but simply dismisses it by pointing to someone or something official. Oh wait, there's a more specific version: Appeal to False Authority.
Everyone wrongly accused of using AI should respond with a "Logical Fallacy: Appeal to False Authority" and link to your favorite reliable source for logic references. If nothing else, it will help raise awareness of this very common logical fallacy, which would be very useful in today's baloney-filled society.
Also in venues you control, don't hesitate to disemvowel, strikethrough, or delete garbage comments. There's no need to leave verbal dog shit on the floor for other people to step in and track around.
( Read more... )
Tags:
#47 Mismatch (part 1 of 1, complete)
Nov. 30th, 2025 09:46 pmdialecticdreamerMismatch
By Dialecticdreamer/Sarah Williams
Part 1 of 1, complete
Word count (story only): 1415
[Sunday, May 10, 2020, night]
:: Regrouping leads to an unexpected insight. Plans change. Part of the Edison’s Mirror universe. ::
The crowd followed Aidan to the front door of the garage apartment. Shandiin murmured, “Are the kids asleep?”
“Vic isn’t. He’s keeping watch over Ed, who may not have gone back to sleep. If he isn’t asleep now, we’ll just stay home during the day to that he can try to nap at least once.” Aidan paused, hand raised over the doorknob.
He stepped back. “It’s your home,” he began.
( Read more... )
By Dialecticdreamer/Sarah Williams
Part 1 of 1, complete
Word count (story only): 1415
[Sunday, May 10, 2020, night]
:: Regrouping leads to an unexpected insight. Plans change. Part of the Edison’s Mirror universe. ::
The crowd followed Aidan to the front door of the garage apartment. Shandiin murmured, “Are the kids asleep?”
“Vic isn’t. He’s keeping watch over Ed, who may not have gone back to sleep. If he isn’t asleep now, we’ll just stay home during the day to that he can try to nap at least once.” Aidan paused, hand raised over the doorknob.
He stepped back. “It’s your home,” he began.
( Read more... )
Bingo
Nov. 30th, 2025 05:40 pmysabetwordsmithI have made bingo down the N column of my 11-1-25 card for the Fairy Tales and Fantasy Stories Bingo. I also made 8 extra fills.
N1 (The deeds of ordinary folks keep the darkness at bay. Small acts of kindness and love.) -- "The Universal Assent to the World" (Polychrome Heroics: Officer Pink)
N2 (elves) -- "Revealing Itself at Its Most Brilliant" (Polychrome Heroics: Eric the Elven King)
N3 (WILD CARD: brownie) -- "Better Than Living Alone" (Monster House)
N4 (shadow) -- "Unicornis Memento Mori" (The Freaks Club)
N5 (Once Upon a Time) -- "Better Than a Million Dollars" (Alien Romance)
B4 (Fairy Ring) -- "Time and Relative Dimensions in Magic" (Doctor Who)
I1 (The Nightingale) -- "The Impermanence of Light and Life" (The Freaks Club)
I3 (Very little worth knowing is taught by fear.) -- "To the Rational Mind" (Doctor Who)
I4 (solitude) -- "Company in Solitude" (The Freaks Club)
G1 (vision) -- "A Vision That Visits Us" (The Freaks Club)
G2 (journey) -- "The Coracle in the Forest" (standalone)
G5 (I didn't want power. All I wanted was control. Over my life.) -- "A Clear Path of Freedom" (standalone)
O3 (fairies) -- "The Heart to Change the World" (Polychrome Heroics: The Big One)
N1 (The deeds of ordinary folks keep the darkness at bay. Small acts of kindness and love.) -- "The Universal Assent to the World" (Polychrome Heroics: Officer Pink)
N2 (elves) -- "Revealing Itself at Its Most Brilliant" (Polychrome Heroics: Eric the Elven King)
N3 (WILD CARD: brownie) -- "Better Than Living Alone" (Monster House)
N4 (shadow) -- "Unicornis Memento Mori" (The Freaks Club)
N5 (Once Upon a Time) -- "Better Than a Million Dollars" (Alien Romance)
B4 (Fairy Ring) -- "Time and Relative Dimensions in Magic" (Doctor Who)
I1 (The Nightingale) -- "The Impermanence of Light and Life" (The Freaks Club)
I3 (Very little worth knowing is taught by fear.) -- "To the Rational Mind" (Doctor Who)
I4 (solitude) -- "Company in Solitude" (The Freaks Club)
G1 (vision) -- "A Vision That Visits Us" (The Freaks Club)
G2 (journey) -- "The Coracle in the Forest" (standalone)
G5 (I didn't want power. All I wanted was control. Over my life.) -- "A Clear Path of Freedom" (standalone)
O3 (fairies) -- "The Heart to Change the World" (Polychrome Heroics: The Big One)
History
Nov. 30th, 2025 03:10 pmysabetwordsmithSignatures meant more in Mesopotamia than they do now − what cylinder seals say about ancient and modern life
In essence, a cylinder seal was a small sculpture that served a crucial utilitarian purpose: signing documents. It was generally made of a precious or semiprecious stone such as lapis lazuli, agate or chalcedony. Images and texts were engraved into the stone with a technique called intaglio. Notably, these engravings would need to be made in reverse of how the markings would look when it was used.
When rolled on a moist clay tablet, these engravings left low-relief markings, signifying that the object’s owner authorized the written document. In this respect, a cylinder seal’s impression is the ancestor of modern handwritten and digital signatures.
( Read more... )
In essence, a cylinder seal was a small sculpture that served a crucial utilitarian purpose: signing documents. It was generally made of a precious or semiprecious stone such as lapis lazuli, agate or chalcedony. Images and texts were engraved into the stone with a technique called intaglio. Notably, these engravings would need to be made in reverse of how the markings would look when it was used.
When rolled on a moist clay tablet, these engravings left low-relief markings, signifying that the object’s owner authorized the written document. In this respect, a cylinder seal’s impression is the ancestor of modern handwritten and digital signatures.
( Read more... )
Birdfeeding
Nov. 30th, 2025 02:28 pmysabetwordsmithToday is cloudy and cold. Yesterday it snowed copiously, which wiped out our plans for Small Business Saturday. :( It was pretty for a while though. Then it rained. Then it froze again. O_O Now the snow looks a week old and there is plate ice over the road and parts of the patio.
I fed the birds. I hung up a peanut suet cake. I've seen one female and three male cardinals plus a dark-eyed junco. :D This is the first I've seen of my little snowbirds this year; the juncos are cold-weather birds here and don't appear in summer.
I put out water for the birds.
EDIT 11/30/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.
EDIT 11/30/25 -- I did more work around the patio.
EDIT 11/30/25 -- I did more work around the patio.
I've seen two female cardinals and the three boys again.
As it is getting dark, I am done for the night.
I fed the birds. I hung up a peanut suet cake. I've seen one female and three male cardinals plus a dark-eyed junco. :D This is the first I've seen of my little snowbirds this year; the juncos are cold-weather birds here and don't appear in summer.
I put out water for the birds.
EDIT 11/30/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.
EDIT 11/30/25 -- I did more work around the patio.
EDIT 11/30/25 -- I did more work around the patio.
I've seen two female cardinals and the three boys again.
As it is getting dark, I am done for the night.