Staying Afloat
28 June 2025 06:02 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ysabetwordsmithAcademia: Staying Afloat
You are the right person to do what you do, know what you know, study what you’re going to study. You do it.
You are a lifeboat.
You are not the passenger being rescued from a shipwreck. You are the rescuer. Your skills, your knowledge, your experience reside in you. You have pulled them from the cold ocean where cruel and careless captains have set them adrift.
You are a lifeboat.
( Read more... )
You are the right person to do what you do, know what you know, study what you’re going to study. You do it.
You are a lifeboat.
You are not the passenger being rescued from a shipwreck. You are the rescuer. Your skills, your knowledge, your experience reside in you. You have pulled them from the cold ocean where cruel and careless captains have set them adrift.
You are a lifeboat.
( Read more... )
Evaporative Cooling
28 June 2025 05:10 pmysabetwordsmithArt pieces double as carbon-free air conditioning, inspired by ancient civilizations
Researchers at Virginia Tech have developed a 3D-printed evaporative cooling system made of hollow clay columns that can cool the surrounding air by up to 10 degrees Fahrenheit.
The columns are filled with water and sand, and when warm air passes through the porous clay exterior, water stored in the sand columns evaporates, which in turn, cools the air that passes through.
( Read more... )
Researchers at Virginia Tech have developed a 3D-printed evaporative cooling system made of hollow clay columns that can cool the surrounding air by up to 10 degrees Fahrenheit.
The columns are filled with water and sand, and when warm air passes through the porous clay exterior, water stored in the sand columns evaporates, which in turn, cools the air that passes through.
( Read more... )
Birdfeeding
28 June 2025 01:52 pmysabetwordsmithToday is mostly sunny and sweltering. It rained off and on yesterday and last night.
I fed the birds. I've seen several house finches.
I put out water for the birds.
EDIT 6/28/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.
.
I fed the birds. I've seen several house finches.
I put out water for the birds.
EDIT 6/28/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.
.
Federal Funding Update, the NPR version
28 June 2025 09:10 amsanguinityPursuant to yesterday's (locked) post where I discussed federal public health funding:
'Where's our money?' CDC grant funding is moving so slowly layoffs are happening (NPR)
God, that's eerie, to see NPR saying the same thing I was saying.
The grants mentioned in the article are all national in scope, btw: it's everybody who's not getting these grants, not just Texas or North Carolina. These grants aren't flashy or sexy, but they absolutely save lives.
'Where's our money?' CDC grant funding is moving so slowly layoffs are happening (NPR)
God, that's eerie, to see NPR saying the same thing I was saying.
The grants mentioned in the article are all national in scope, btw: it's everybody who's not getting these grants, not just Texas or North Carolina. These grants aren't flashy or sexy, but they absolutely save lives.
Philosophical Questions: Morals
28 June 2025 01:34 amysabetwordsmithPeople have expressed interest in deep topics, so this list focuses on philosophical questions.
Do people in wealthier countries have a moral obligation to help those in poorer countries?
If you want to hold all the money, you have to pay all the bills. If you don't want to pay all the bills, make sure other folks have enough money to pay their own.
Also, there is no Planet B. Climate change affects everyone -- but the people in wealthy countries who are causing it have thus far suffered less than people in poor countries who haven't caused it. If you don't make it feasible for them to stay in their own countries, they will leave so they don't die, and wash up in wealthy countries. This is already happening some, but you have seen nothing yet. It will be like the waves of the sea beating the shore, over and over again, until people think they would give anything to make it stop. And then it will stop. And then people will wish, just as desperately, to have that many people ever again as the losses pile up and there aren't enough hands left to hold up civilization.
Do people in wealthier countries have a moral obligation to help those in poorer countries?
If you want to hold all the money, you have to pay all the bills. If you don't want to pay all the bills, make sure other folks have enough money to pay their own.
Also, there is no Planet B. Climate change affects everyone -- but the people in wealthy countries who are causing it have thus far suffered less than people in poor countries who haven't caused it. If you don't make it feasible for them to stay in their own countries, they will leave so they don't die, and wash up in wealthy countries. This is already happening some, but you have seen nothing yet. It will be like the waves of the sea beating the shore, over and over again, until people think they would give anything to make it stop. And then it will stop. And then people will wish, just as desperately, to have that many people ever again as the losses pile up and there aren't enough hands left to hold up civilization.
Bingo
27 June 2025 11:14 pmysabetwordsmithI have made bingo down the G column of my 6-2-15 card for the Pride Fest Bingo, plus 7 extra fills. That covers Row 5 also.
G1 (support) -- "Fatherhood Is Support" (standalone)
G2 (aroace) -- "Preparing Every Nook and Cranny" (Polychrome Heroics: Finn Family and Mallory)
G3 (found family) -- "Born and Found and Made" (standalone)
G4 ("I'd rather eat cake") -- "The Bond with a Dog" (Polychrome Heroics)
G5 (belonging) -- "Worthy of Love and Belonging" (Polychrome Heroics: Kraken)
B3 (activism) -- "The Result of Your Own Bad Behavior" (Monster House)
B5 (unlabeled) -- "Emodox" (A Poesy of Obscure Sorrows)
I3 (rainbow) -- "Along These Sympathetic Fibers" (Peculiar Obligations)
I5 (community) -- "When Warmth and Gentleness Are Needed" (Clay of Life)
N1 (growth) -- "Tomato Seedlings in Tin Cans" (Daughters of the Apocalypse)
N5 (comfort) -- "All It Takes to Be Invulnerable" (Polychrome Heroics: Marionettes)
O5 (validation) -- "Choose to Be Gentle" (Arts and Crafts America)
G1 (support) -- "Fatherhood Is Support" (standalone)
G2 (aroace) -- "Preparing Every Nook and Cranny" (Polychrome Heroics: Finn Family and Mallory)
G3 (found family) -- "Born and Found and Made" (standalone)
G4 ("I'd rather eat cake") -- "The Bond with a Dog" (Polychrome Heroics)
G5 (belonging) -- "Worthy of Love and Belonging" (Polychrome Heroics: Kraken)
B3 (activism) -- "The Result of Your Own Bad Behavior" (Monster House)
B5 (unlabeled) -- "Emodox" (A Poesy of Obscure Sorrows)
I3 (rainbow) -- "Along These Sympathetic Fibers" (Peculiar Obligations)
I5 (community) -- "When Warmth and Gentleness Are Needed" (Clay of Life)
N1 (growth) -- "Tomato Seedlings in Tin Cans" (Daughters of the Apocalypse)
N5 (comfort) -- "All It Takes to Be Invulnerable" (Polychrome Heroics: Marionettes)
O5 (validation) -- "Choose to Be Gentle" (Arts and Crafts America)
Poetry Fishbowl Report for June 3, 2025
27 June 2025 04:14 pmysabetwordsmithOur theme this month was "Gentleness Is Strength." I wrote from 12:30 PM to 4 AM, so about 13 hours 30 minutes, allowing for lunch and supper breaks. I wrote 6 poems on Tuesday and another 5 later in the week.
Participation was variable, with 11 comments on LiveJournal and another 30 on Dreamwidth. A total of 10 people sent prompts.
Read Some Poetry!
The following poems from the June 3, 2025 Poetry Fishbowl have been posted:
"All It Takes to Be Invulnerable"
"The Bond with a Dog"
"Choose to Be Gentle"
"Emodox"
"The Result of Your Own Bad Behavior"
"When Warmth and Gentleness Are Needed"
Buy some poetry!
If you plan to sponsor some poetry but haven't made up your mind yet, see the unsold poetry list from June 3. That includes the title, length, price, and the original thumbnail description for the poems still available.
This session's donors include:librarygeek and janetmiles. All sponsored poems from this fishbowl have been posted. There are 3 tallies toward a bonus fishbowl.
The Poetry Fishbowl has a landing page.
Participation was variable, with 11 comments on LiveJournal and another 30 on Dreamwidth. A total of 10 people sent prompts.
Read Some Poetry!
The following poems from the June 3, 2025 Poetry Fishbowl have been posted:
"All It Takes to Be Invulnerable"
"The Bond with a Dog"
"Choose to Be Gentle"
"Emodox"
"The Result of Your Own Bad Behavior"
"When Warmth and Gentleness Are Needed"
Buy some poetry!
If you plan to sponsor some poetry but haven't made up your mind yet, see the unsold poetry list from June 3. That includes the title, length, price, and the original thumbnail description for the poems still available.
This session's donors include:
librarygeek and janetmiles. All sponsored poems from this fishbowl have been posted. There are 3 tallies toward a bonus fishbowl.The Poetry Fishbowl has a landing page.
Birdfeeding
27 June 2025 02:26 pmysabetwordsmithToday is cloudy, muggy, and hot. It's been raining off and on.
I fed the birds. I've seen a few sparrows and house finches.
I put out water for the birds.
EDIT 6/27/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.
The first of the blackberry lilies is blooming. :D
I fed the birds. I've seen a few sparrows and house finches.
I put out water for the birds.
EDIT 6/27/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.
The first of the blackberry lilies is blooming. :D
The Royal Sanctuary: The corridor (Tempestuous Tours)
27 June 2025 09:27 amduskpetersonA long, windowless corridor leads into the royal sanctuary. The corridor's entrance is next to a walled-up gateway that originally led directly into the courtyard of the royal residence. The corridor itself is kept deliberately unlit, to recreate the circumstances under which captives were led here before being enslaved. Just walk toward the light at the end of the corridor to reach your destination.
[Translator's note: A chase takes place in that corridor during Death Mask.]
Hobbies: Stage Magic
26 June 2025 09:55 pmysabetwordsmithFolks 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.
Stage magic is a hobby of illusion. There are many styles, from closeup to grand stage effects. Some can be done with very affordable props. Much is now available online for free. If you have any interest in card magic, start with The Royal Road to Card Magic and an ordinary deck of playing cards. Pay attention to skill trees, that is, which techniques will enable you to learn more techniques based on them. Note that this hobby is fun and easy to start, but getting good at it will require a lot of practice.
On Dreamwidth, consider creative communities like![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
justcreate.
( Read more... )
Stage magic is a hobby of illusion. There are many styles, from closeup to grand stage effects. Some can be done with very affordable props. Much is now available online for free. If you have any interest in card magic, start with The Royal Road to Card Magic and an ordinary deck of playing cards. Pay attention to skill trees, that is, which techniques will enable you to learn more techniques based on them. Note that this hobby is fun and easy to start, but getting good at it will require a lot of practice.
On Dreamwidth, consider creative communities like
justcreate.( Read more... )
Birdfeeding
26 June 2025 12:28 pmysabetwordsmithToday is mostly sunny and sweltering.
I fed the birds. I've seen a few sparrows and house finches.
I put out water for the birds.
I fed the birds. I've seen a few sparrows and house finches.
I put out water for the birds.
Goblincore
26 June 2025 12:34 amysabetwordsmithGoblincore is an aesthetic based on the darker side of faery and the appreciation of imperfect things that other people often consider ugly or otherwise undesirable. Many of the reference pages are less than flattering, but the entries on Wikipedia and Aesthetics Wiki offer a starting point. It is laughably dated to the 2020s. I'm guessing whoever wrote that missed the entire history of fairytales, curiosity cabinets, and the rest of its very long history.
( Read more... )
( Read more... )
Alice in Borderland
26 June 2025 01:06 pmscaramoucheAs Squid Game's season 3 is about to drop, I found myself hankering for an Alice in Borderland rewatch, so I decided to do that. They're both death game media, but I guess I'm in the mood for nightmare realm survival over capitalism critique.
I realized I never posted about AiB's season 2 here, and I can't really remember what all my thoughts were at the time, but I do recall being WAY more excited about the reveals of the face card games when I read the manga, and the TV show didn't hit that same level of whoa. Also, season 2 compressed a lot more manga content than season 1 did and had to add a new game for Usagi specifically (I get it, the manga's sexism doesn't do her any favours). I think there could've been two more seasons instead of one, but it was a better idea to only do one more season in order to complete the story instead of risking cancellation.
The cost is that the various face card games have to be simplified (which works for everything except the Jack of Hearts, IMO) and side character development has to be sacrificed. In the manga Arisu only plays the King of Clubs and Queen of Hearts, so we spend more time with new side characters, but you can't do that in a TV show format. On the flipside, the TV show does get rid of a lot of faff, drops the manga's focus on game strategy, integrates characters across games better, and follows its chosen emotional throughline about living well and survivor's guilt more closely than the manga's exploration of different themes.
I still enjoy the show but what I miss most of what was lost was the glimpse into the King of Spades, the only face card who isn't motivated by a sense of superiority over other players or a desire to play the games to their most extreme conclusion. He doesn't want to play at all, and that's super interesting to me! In the TV show the King of Spades is positioned into a boss fight figure who takes out most of the gang in order to leave Arisu and Usagi alone to handle the final Queen of Hearts game, so he's a shadowy military man who has been traumatized by the games, and that's all he needs to be.
But in the manga there's specificity in King of Spades having witnessed the horrendous suffering of someone he loved in the games and having to mercy kill them. In the aftermath he made a conscious decision to snipe other players as quickly as he can before they can suffer any more in the gamescape. But in rejecting the games and all its macabre rules (he is the only face card not constrained by an arena!), the King of Spades tragically becomes a face card himself, and it's a shame that in the TV show he's a terminator with no face until his last episode, and no interiority save a glimpse at the literal last moment. :( I love him as a character! He is a dark mirror to Arisu, driven by a corrupted hero complex that has him believing that a quick death at his hand is kinder than the torture of the games! But alas.
PS. What is my timing! I just found out that there's going to be a season 3, which I thought at first was a fan concept but nope, it's legitimately dropping in September this year. I'm tempted to read the manga sequel that covers Arisu's return to the Borderland, but it might be more fun to go in with no expectations whatsoever. I have read the Alice on Border Road manga though, and I wonder if season 3 will incorporate anything from there. If they do, I'm at least mostly confident that the show won't port over much of Border Road's increased violence against the female characters, wooff.
Also curious is that when I looked up responses to season 2, people thought that the season 2 finale was more open-ended than I interpreted it to be. Like, it was obvious to me that the Joker is the psychopomp running the Borderlands (a trickster in charge of games that are as vicious as they can be unfair? you don't say) and, following the previously established mechanism where upon clearing a game the equivalent card is revealed, that the reveal of the Joker card as the final shot means that the equivalent game has been cleared, i.e. the Borderlands as a whole. But what felt so obvious to me is not so to many people! And I guess season 3 will/may do something else with that.
PPS. Talk about a fandom that's difficult to get content that threads a fine line for my own enjoyment. :/ I enjoy the AiB games but am not that interested in game strategizing, and I love the cerebral elements of the show but I don't think it's that deep, either.
PPPS. I made the mistake of reading the comments on the season 3 teaser. Media literacy for this show is dire. (Not uniformly, there are people who get it, but there's so many confused comments about the s2 finale.)
I realized I never posted about AiB's season 2 here, and I can't really remember what all my thoughts were at the time, but I do recall being WAY more excited about the reveals of the face card games when I read the manga, and the TV show didn't hit that same level of whoa. Also, season 2 compressed a lot more manga content than season 1 did and had to add a new game for Usagi specifically (I get it, the manga's sexism doesn't do her any favours). I think there could've been two more seasons instead of one, but it was a better idea to only do one more season in order to complete the story instead of risking cancellation.
The cost is that the various face card games have to be simplified (which works for everything except the Jack of Hearts, IMO) and side character development has to be sacrificed. In the manga Arisu only plays the King of Clubs and Queen of Hearts, so we spend more time with new side characters, but you can't do that in a TV show format. On the flipside, the TV show does get rid of a lot of faff, drops the manga's focus on game strategy, integrates characters across games better, and follows its chosen emotional throughline about living well and survivor's guilt more closely than the manga's exploration of different themes.
I still enjoy the show but what I miss most of what was lost was the glimpse into the King of Spades, the only face card who isn't motivated by a sense of superiority over other players or a desire to play the games to their most extreme conclusion. He doesn't want to play at all, and that's super interesting to me! In the TV show the King of Spades is positioned into a boss fight figure who takes out most of the gang in order to leave Arisu and Usagi alone to handle the final Queen of Hearts game, so he's a shadowy military man who has been traumatized by the games, and that's all he needs to be.
But in the manga there's specificity in King of Spades having witnessed the horrendous suffering of someone he loved in the games and having to mercy kill them. In the aftermath he made a conscious decision to snipe other players as quickly as he can before they can suffer any more in the gamescape. But in rejecting the games and all its macabre rules (he is the only face card not constrained by an arena!), the King of Spades tragically becomes a face card himself, and it's a shame that in the TV show he's a terminator with no face until his last episode, and no interiority save a glimpse at the literal last moment. :( I love him as a character! He is a dark mirror to Arisu, driven by a corrupted hero complex that has him believing that a quick death at his hand is kinder than the torture of the games! But alas.
PS. What is my timing! I just found out that there's going to be a season 3, which I thought at first was a fan concept but nope, it's legitimately dropping in September this year. I'm tempted to read the manga sequel that covers Arisu's return to the Borderland, but it might be more fun to go in with no expectations whatsoever. I have read the Alice on Border Road manga though, and I wonder if season 3 will incorporate anything from there. If they do, I'm at least mostly confident that the show won't port over much of Border Road's increased violence against the female characters, wooff.
Also curious is that when I looked up responses to season 2, people thought that the season 2 finale was more open-ended than I interpreted it to be. Like, it was obvious to me that the Joker is the psychopomp running the Borderlands (a trickster in charge of games that are as vicious as they can be unfair? you don't say) and, following the previously established mechanism where upon clearing a game the equivalent card is revealed, that the reveal of the Joker card as the final shot means that the equivalent game has been cleared, i.e. the Borderlands as a whole. But what felt so obvious to me is not so to many people! And I guess season 3 will/may do something else with that.
PPS. Talk about a fandom that's difficult to get content that threads a fine line for my own enjoyment. :/ I enjoy the AiB games but am not that interested in game strategizing, and I love the cerebral elements of the show but I don't think it's that deep, either.
PPPS. I made the mistake of reading the comments on the season 3 teaser. Media literacy for this show is dire. (Not uniformly, there are people who get it, but there's so many confused comments about the s2 finale.)