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Birdfeeding
Jul. 12th, 2025 03:27 pmToday is cloudy, mild, and wet. It rained earlier.
I fed the birds. I've seen a mixed flock of sparrows and house finches plus a male cardinal.
I put out water for the birds.
EDIT 7/12/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.
It started drizzling again.
.
I fed the birds. I've seen a mixed flock of sparrows and house finches plus a male cardinal.
I put out water for the birds.
EDIT 7/12/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.
It started drizzling again.
.
Philosophical Questions: Poverty
Jul. 12th, 2025 02:36 amPeople have expressed interest in deep topics, so this list focuses on philosophical questions.
Is poverty in society inevitable?
( Read more... )
Is poverty in society inevitable?
( Read more... )
Extinct Birds
Jul. 11th, 2025 11:31 pm'The Lord of the Rings' director Peter Jackson is on a mission to revive the world’s tallest bird, 600 years after it went extinct
Inspired by their debut project, Jackson is now working with Colossal to bring the ancient moa back to life through subfossil sourcing and genetic engineering.
On July 8, Jackson and his partner donated $15 million to the project.
The moa is an excellent choice for de-extinction, as it died out relatively recently and due to human misbehavior.
( Read more... )
Inspired by their debut project, Jackson is now working with Colossal to bring the ancient moa back to life through subfossil sourcing and genetic engineering.
On July 8, Jackson and his partner donated $15 million to the project.
The moa is an excellent choice for de-extinction, as it died out relatively recently and due to human misbehavior.
( Read more... )
Today's Adventures
Jul. 11th, 2025 09:34 pmToday we went to the Marshall Farmer's Market. It's an evening market from 6-8 PM, followed by a band concert, which is way better than a morning one.
( Read more... )
( Read more... )
New Crowdfunding Project: "Take Us North"
Jul. 11th, 2025 09:27 pmTake Us North is down to the last day or so of its campaign. If you want to participate, now is the time.
$50,976 pledged of $30,000 goal
509 backers
26 hours to go
$50,976 pledged of $30,000 goal
509 backers
26 hours to go
This art workshop made a "landscape" out of loose parts for the artists to use as inspiration. Every art room should have a generous collection of objects to mix and match like this.
Birdfeeding
Jul. 11th, 2025 02:53 pmToday is sunny and sweltering.
I fed the birds. I've seen a mixed flock of sparrows and house finches plus a house wren.
I put out water for the birds.
EDIT 7/11/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.
I've seen a fox squirrel.
EDIT 7/11/25 -- Yesterday I collected 5 little pink crabapples while out and about. These are almost marble size, much more useful than the pea-sized ones. So I potted up those today to see if they'll sprout.
I fed the birds. I've seen a mixed flock of sparrows and house finches plus a house wren.
I put out water for the birds.
EDIT 7/11/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.
I've seen a fox squirrel.
EDIT 7/11/25 -- Yesterday I collected 5 little pink crabapples while out and about. These are almost marble size, much more useful than the pea-sized ones. So I potted up those today to see if they'll sprout.
Bonus Fishbowl
Jul. 11th, 2025 12:38 pmThere will be a bonus fishbowl on Tuesday, July 15. The theme will be "anything goes." If you want a continuation of an earlier piece, or something totally new, that doesn't fit the usual themes, then now's your chance. Brainstorm in advance and jot down ideas for later. You can also request any favorite series, character, setting, etc.
Note that our internet connection has been bad for well over a month. Sometimes it's down completely, other times things like Dreamwidth and searches won't run. So I'm losing a lot of work time and may only have access for half a day or less. Given this limitation, there's a higher chance of actually getting things written for prompts that use characters, settings, etc. that are already established.
Note that our internet connection has been bad for well over a month. Sometimes it's down completely, other times things like Dreamwidth and searches won't run. So I'm losing a lot of work time and may only have access for half a day or less. Given this limitation, there's a higher chance of actually getting things written for prompts that use characters, settings, etc. that are already established.
Communities
Jul. 11th, 2025 04:15 amHere's a cool Dreamwidth tool: take the URL of any community and add /read to the end. It will show you posts by all the members. So for instance:
https://birdfeeding.dreamwidth.org/read
https://birdfeeding.dreamwidth.org/read
This is why some people hate interruptions and find it hard to switch from one activity to another. It includes people with ADHD, autism, executive function disorder, post-concussion-syndrome, other cognitive issues; many introverts; and most people who spend a lot of time doing things they are bad at (e.g. a linguistically inclined person doing math, or an athletic person forced to write text). Discuss with the people in your life what kinds of interruptions are okay or not, when, and how.
Climate Change
Jul. 11th, 2025 01:00 amBigger crops, fewer nutrients: The hidden cost of climate change
Climate change is silently sapping the nutrients from our food. A pioneering study finds that rising CO2 and higher temperatures are not only reshaping how crops grow but are also degrading their nutritional value especially in vital leafy greens like kale and spinach. This shift could spell trouble for global health, particularly in communities already facing nutritional stress. Researchers warn that while crops may grow faster, they may also become less nourishing, with fewer minerals, proteins, and antioxidants raising concerns about obesity, weakened immunity, and chronic diseases.
( Read more... )
Climate change is silently sapping the nutrients from our food. A pioneering study finds that rising CO2 and higher temperatures are not only reshaping how crops grow but are also degrading their nutritional value especially in vital leafy greens like kale and spinach. This shift could spell trouble for global health, particularly in communities already facing nutritional stress. Researchers warn that while crops may grow faster, they may also become less nourishing, with fewer minerals, proteins, and antioxidants raising concerns about obesity, weakened immunity, and chronic diseases.
( Read more... )
Today we cooked up the mixed carton of fancy mushrooms from the Champaign Farmer's Market. They included pink oysters, blue oysters, lion's mane, and some little brown things with long stems and caps the size of a thumbnail. We sauteed them in sunflower oil, seasoned them with garam masala, and added some chopped bacon.
The result tasted good, but not much better than our usual mix of mushrooms, and it was twice as expensive. The oysters were good, but don't taste notably different from the usual white to light brown ones. We did not care of the stringy texture of the lion's mane. Also, they cooked way fast and shrank way down, which left a small amount of stir-fry. They might have worked better in something like wild mushroom spaghetti sauce. So it was interesting to try, but not worth repeating.
The result tasted good, but not much better than our usual mix of mushrooms, and it was twice as expensive. The oysters were good, but don't taste notably different from the usual white to light brown ones. We did not care of the stringy texture of the lion's mane. Also, they cooked way fast and shrank way down, which left a small amount of stir-fry. They might have worked better in something like wild mushroom spaghetti sauce. So it was interesting to try, but not worth repeating.
Artificial Intelligence
Jul. 10th, 2025 04:53 pmThis post has the funniest argument I have seen against AI: "A computer can never be spiteful or horny. Therefore a computer must never make art."
Now from an anthropological perspective, anything decorative rather than purely functional is "art" -- a contrasting color around the rim of a jug, for instance. From a cultural perspective, however, art is about emotion. It's how we express our human feelings about things we have seen or imagined as a way of communicating with other people. So by that definition, a computer cannot make art, even if it can mash around colors and images. An interesting point.
Now from an anthropological perspective, anything decorative rather than purely functional is "art" -- a contrasting color around the rim of a jug, for instance. From a cultural perspective, however, art is about emotion. It's how we express our human feelings about things we have seen or imagined as a way of communicating with other people. So by that definition, a computer cannot make art, even if it can mash around colors and images. An interesting point.
Birdfeeding
Jul. 10th, 2025 03:29 pmToday is mostly sunny and hot.
I fed the birds. I've seen a few sparrows and house finches at the feeders. Blackbirds and catbirds are mobbing the mulberry tree in the house yard.
I put out water for the birds.
EDIT 7/10/25 -- I did some work around the patio.
.
I fed the birds. I've seen a few sparrows and house finches at the feeders. Blackbirds and catbirds are mobbing the mulberry tree in the house yard.
I put out water for the birds.
EDIT 7/10/25 -- I did some work around the patio.
.
Scientists host 'science fair of canceled grants' on Capitol Hill to fight funding cuts
The researchers gathered, alongside the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, to present posters in a good, old-fashioned science fair, titled “The Things We’ll Never Know: A Science Fair of Canceled Grants.”
It's a great tactic, and one that other fields could use too. "Here are some useful things you could have had, but these specific people took them away from you." That's guaranteed to piss off a lot of people.
It's also among the standard protest techniques in Terramagne. Not only is it sound activism for pounding the perpetrators, it also has a pretty good chance of someone else deciding to sponsor your canceled project if they like your pitch. Feel free to prompt me for that.
The researchers gathered, alongside the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, to present posters in a good, old-fashioned science fair, titled “The Things We’ll Never Know: A Science Fair of Canceled Grants.”
It's a great tactic, and one that other fields could use too. "Here are some useful things you could have had, but these specific people took them away from you." That's guaranteed to piss off a lot of people.
It's also among the standard protest techniques in Terramagne. Not only is it sound activism for pounding the perpetrators, it also has a pretty good chance of someone else deciding to sponsor your canceled project if they like your pitch. Feel free to prompt me for that.
Cuddle Party
Jul. 9th, 2025 03:01 pmEveryone needs contact comfort sometimes. Not everyone has ample opportunities for this in facetime. So here is a chance for a cuddle party in cyberspace. Virtual cuddling can help people feel better.
We have a cuddle room that comes with fort cushions, fort frames, sheets for draping, and a weighted blanket. A nest full of colorful egg pillows sits in one corner. There is a basket of grooming brushes, hairbrushes, and styling combs. A bin holds textured pillows. There is a big basket of craft supplies along with art markers, coloring pages, and blank paper. The kitchen has a popcorn machine. Labels are available to mark dietary needs, recipe ingredients, and level of spiciness. Here is the bathroom, open to everyone. There is a lawn tent and an outdoor hot tub. Bathers should post a sign for nude or clothed activity. Come snuggle up!
We have a cuddle room that comes with fort cushions, fort frames, sheets for draping, and a weighted blanket. A nest full of colorful egg pillows sits in one corner. There is a basket of grooming brushes, hairbrushes, and styling combs. A bin holds textured pillows. There is a big basket of craft supplies along with art markers, coloring pages, and blank paper. The kitchen has a popcorn machine. Labels are available to mark dietary needs, recipe ingredients, and level of spiciness. Here is the bathroom, open to everyone. There is a lawn tent and an outdoor hot tub. Bathers should post a sign for nude or clothed activity. Come snuggle up!
