Reading

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Climate Change

Satellite images reveal the fastest Antarctic glacier retreat ever

Hektoria Glacier’s sudden eight-kilometer collapse stunned scientists, marking the fastest modern ice retreat ever recorded in Antarctica. Its flat, below-sea-level ice plain allowed huge slabs of ice to detach rapidly once retreat began. Seismic activity confirmed this wasn’t just floating ice but grounded mass contributing to sea level rise. The event raises alarms that other fragile glaciers may be poised for similar, faster-than-expected collapses.

Just because something is big, doesn't necessarily mean it's always slow. Climate change can move blindingly fast.

If I were there, I'd be crawling over that exposed plain searching for signs of life. Antarctica is waking up.

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Birdfeeding

Today is partly sunny and cool.

I fed the birds. I've seen a large flock of sparrows.

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 11/17/25 -- I trimmed brush along the south edge of the house.

EDIT 11/17/25 -- We cleared the rest of the brush from in front of the garage.

EDIT 11/17/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

EDIT 11/17/25 -- I did more work around the patio.

EDIT 11/17/25 -- I did more work around the patio.

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

Current Mood: busy

Entry tags:

blogging,
personal

Monday Update 11-17-25

These are some posts from the later part of last week in case you missed them:
Cyberspace Theory
Poem: "Better Than a Million Dollars"
Food
Birdfeeding
Wildlife
Creative Jam
Today's Adventures
Birdfeeding
Philosophical Questions: Censorship
Politics
Communities
Education
Birdfeeding
Follow Friday 11-14-25: Kink
Food
Birdfeeding
Vocabulary: Carcinization
New Crowdfunding Project: "Monsterotica"
Read "An Old Diversion"
Cyberspace Theory
Conservation
Birdfeeding
Cuddle Party

Shopping has 28 comments. Trauma has 42 comments. Affordable Housing has 61 comments. Robotics has 98 comments.

"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 variable here. Seen at the birdfeeders this week: a large mixed flock of sparrows and house finches, a male cardinal, a young fox squirrel, and an adult fox squirrel. Most of the flowers have died off. I brought in the ceramic pots. Harvest is pretty much done, except a few random fields that may not get done.

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Cyberspace Theory

Self-Worth in the Digital Age

Why are we letting algorithms rewrite the rules of art, work, and life?

( Read more... )

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Poem: "Better Than a Million Dollars"

This is the freebie for the November

crowdfunding Creative Jam. It was inspired by a prompt from

gs_silva. It also fills the "Once Upon a Time" square in my 11-1-25 card for the Fairy Tales and Fantasy Stories Bingo fest. This poem is based on graphic art by

gs_silva.

( Read more... )

Current Mood: awake

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Safe Return (part 1 of 1, complete)

Safe Return
By Dialecticdreamer/Sarah Williams
Part 1 of 1, complete
Word count (story only): 1301
[last days of November/first days of December of 2016]

Herb sighed as the plastic bottle crinkled, draining the last bit of water from it. He heard a truck and patted Elisabeth on the shoulder. “Abe’s back. Probably alone, since he’s edging over the speed limit.”

Elisabeth turned to watch the truck approaching in the rear view mirror. “He’s determined to be a good example for his grandson?”

“That’s a good deduction,” Herb laughed. “It’s wrong, and funny to anyone who knows him, but a good deduction. He’s got a lead foot, and used to race out at the salt flats.”
( Read more... )

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Food

Extreme floods are slashing global rice yields faster than expected

Flooding is emerging as a silent but powerful destroyer of global rice supplies—and the danger is accelerating.

Scientists discovered that a week of full submergence is enough to kill most rice plants, making flooding a far greater threat than previously understood. Intensifying extreme rainfall events may amplify these losses unless vulnerable regions adopt more resilient rice varieties.

( Read more... )

Current Mood: busy

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Birdfeeding

Today is mostly sunny and cool.

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

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 11/16/25 -- We cut down a majority of the brush left in front of the garage. We'll need to pick up inorganic debris from the ground and do some weedwhacking, and there's a section of brush left to clear. Two larger stumps are beyond the capacity of the loppers. But we made a lot of progress, more than I expected. \o/

EDIT 11/16/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

EDIT 11/16/25 -- I did more work around the patio.

EDIT 11/16/25 -- I did more work around the patio.

I pulled weeds from around the birdgift apple tree, filled a trolley, and dumped that in the firepit.

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

Current Mood: busy

Entry tags:

Wildlife

Scientists recover 40,000-year-old mammoth RNA still packed with clues

Researchers decoded 40,000-year-old mammoth RNA, unlocking real-time biological secrets frozen since the Ice Age.

Researchers have sequenced the oldest RNA ever recovered, taken from a woolly mammoth frozen for nearly 40,000 years. The RNA reveals which genes were active in its tissues, offering a rare glimpse into its biology and final moments. Surprisingly, the team also identified ancient microRNAs and rare mutations that confirm their mammoth origin. The finding shows that RNA can endure millennia—reshaping how scientists study extinct species.

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Creative Jam

The November

crowdfunding Creative Jam is up with a theme of "Love and Sacrifice." Come leave us prompts, or claim some for your own inspiration!

This is the 149th Creative Jam! There is none in December, so January will be the 150th. \o/

What I Have Written

"Better Than a Million Dollars" is this session's freebie.

From My Prompts

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Today's Adventures

Today we visited two events, the Otto Center Bazaar and a craft market at Cross County Mall.

( Read more... )

Current Mood: awake

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House Call Gone Wrong (part 3 of 3, complete)

House Call Gone Wrong
By Dialecticdreamer/Sarah Williams
Part 3 of 3, complete
Word count (story only): 1597
[last days of November/first days of December of 2016]

:: During Elisabeth Finn’s maternity leave, she makes time for a follow-up appointment with her six-week-old patient. When the mother doesn’t show, Doctor Finn sets out to make a house call. The trip is disrupted, but may have VERY positive results for her new acquaintances. Written for the November of 2025 Magpie Monday, from a prompt by

siliconshaman, and posted for everyone to enjoy, with my deepest thanks. ::

Back to part two
:: Thanks for reading! ::

“Would you know who to sell it to?” Herb asked slowly.

“I can ask a friend in the hospital’s pharmacy; they order for one of the hospitals in my hometown. The blue chamomile leaves have to be processed, and my farmer friend can help explain the process to me. That part is outside your wheelhouse unless you’re interested.”

The older man hummed. “So, it’s just like growing lettuce for grocery stores. A cleaning station on site will bring better prices, but that’s expensive, especially now.”
( Read more... )

Current Mood: busy

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Birdfeeding

Today is partly sunny and quite warm. It's already up to 75°F.

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 11/15/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

EDIT 11/15/25 -- I did more work around the patio.

EDIT 11/15/25 -- I did more work around the patio.

EDIT 11/15/25 -- I did more work around the patio.

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

Current Mood: busy

Entry tags:

recurring posts

Philosophical Questions: Censorship

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

Is some degree of censorship necessary?

( Read more... )

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Politics

Why I Am Resigning from the Heritage Foundation (Guest-Post by Adam Mossoff)

[DB: This is a guest post from my Scalia Law colleague Professor Adam Mossoff, reprinting his letter to Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts resigning his position as a visiting fellow at the Foundation. As Adam says, this is a time for choosing on the political right: you either abandon conservatism and stand with Tucker Carlson and nihilism, collectivism, Nazism, and Jew hatred, or you stick up for (conserve, if you will) the American traditions of individual rights, religious and ethnic pluralism, and the rule of law.]

An interesting feature of modern politics is how often it highlights where people draw the line, that they are comfortable or tolerant of A-Y but not Z.

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Communities

Want to build a deeper, richer community? Learning how to handle conflict is key, the Gottmans say

As Julie told Good Good Good, in the decades they have spent doing this work they have observed time and time again: “Conflict can really lead to greater understanding between people.”

The trick is approaching conflict with a goal to understand; not to conquer.

“Speak in such a way that you don't sabotage yourself getting listened to,” Julie said. “That means avoiding criticism, contempt, defensiveness, totally shutting down, or stonewalling.”

( Read more... )

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Education

Virtual 'University Of The People' provides a free college education to anyone in the world

The university offers accredited certificates, associate and bachelor’s degree programs in business administration, computer science, and health science, and master’s degree programs in business administration, information technology, and education.

There is no tuition involved in obtaining a degree, but a variety of fees are required that add up to about $5,000 for a bachelor’s degree.

( Read more... )

Current Mood: busy

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Birdfeeding

Today is mostly sunny and quite warm -- it's 75F outside.

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

I put out water for the birds.

Current Mood: busy

Entry tags:

Magpie Monday

Well, it's not Monday, but

dialecticdreamer is running a Magpie prompt call that will stay open until Friday night. Leave prompts, get ficlets!

The theme for this month is Disruption and Opportunity.

Life throws disruptions at us all the time, but sometimes, those disruptions are opportunities. Genna Saint Croix, driving halfway across the country at the invitation of a lazy detective to check a John Doe body, has a major disruption amid a life-altering crisis already going on. That she stopped to help a teenager who convinced his pals not to rob her was an opportunity… for both of them.

Current Mood: awake

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House Call Gone Wrong (part 2 of 3, complete)

House Call Gone Wrong
By Dialecticdreamer/Sarah Williams
Part 2 of 3, complete
Word count (story only): 1508
[last days of November/first days of December of 2016]

:: During Elisabeth Finn’s maternity leave, she makes time for a follow-up appointment with her six-week-old patient. When the mother doesn’t show, Doctor Finn sets out to make a house call. The trip is disrupted, but may have VERY positive results for her new acquaintances. Written for the November of 2025 Magpie Monday, from a prompt by

siliconshaman, and posted for everyone to enjoy, with my deepest thanks. ::

Back to part one
On to part three

“He cut through a lot of middle steps. I’m not worried that he’s gossiping.” Elisabeth laughed brightly. “I’ve raised children before. Wren is my youngest.” She unlocked the door and watched the older man step back to allow her plenty of room to avoid the grabby fingers of the evergreen trees that tried to catch her wool coat.

The teen clambered out of the rear door on the passenger side. Skinny and coltish as any early teen, his face was flushed red with forming acne in several places, and the small, round sticky bandages coated in medication to reduce them looked more like a caricature than a medical treatment.
( Read more... )