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ysabetwordsmith ([personal profile] ysabetwordsmith) wrote2025-11-12 10:12 pm

Vocabulary: Carcinization

Carcinization is a form of convergent evolution in which non-crab crustaceans evolve a crab-like body plan. The term was introduced into evolutionary biology by Lancelot Alexander Borradaile, who described it in 1916 as "the many attempts of Nature to evolve a crab".

Crabs have evolved five separate times – why do the same forms keep appearing in nature?

... including at least one sexbot whose lower body is a mechanical battle crab. :D
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ysabetwordsmith ([personal profile] ysabetwordsmith) wrote2025-11-12 08:04 pm

Half-Price Sale in Polychrome Heroics

The  November 4, 2025 Poetry Fishbowl made its $300 goal, so there will be a half-price sale in Polychrome Heroics from Monday 17-Sunday 23.  Mark the dates on your calendar, and I hope to see you then! 
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ysabetwordsmith ([personal profile] ysabetwordsmith) wrote2025-11-12 05:40 pm

New Crowdfunding Project: "Monsterotica"

Happy Monsterotica Launch Day!

The crowdfunding campaign to fund publishing of our next erotic anthology, Monsterotica: Tales of Unusual Courtship and Coupling, is now live on Kickstarter!

Now through December 2nd, 2025, we seek to raise $10,500 to cover publishing of the anthology and creation of the related merchandise. This awesome book contains 16 queer stories by 16 awesome authors, each story up to 7,500 words long. We encouraged authors to pitch us stories featuring unusual creatures and unconventional genitals; you won’t find any vampires or weres here, but you will find insectoid aliens, mountain cryptids, scales and feathers, tentacles, detachable anatomy, interspecies shenanigans, courtship confusion, and much more. And of course, in addition to featuring monster x monster and monster x human relationships, every single story also includes queer characters and queer relationships!


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ysabetwordsmith ([personal profile] ysabetwordsmith) wrote2025-11-12 05:29 pm

Read "GAMING"

My poem "GAMING" is up on [community profile] computerworld[personal profile] beavertech has been commissioning poems to be posted in The Freaks Club family of communities.
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ysabetwordsmith ([personal profile] ysabetwordsmith) wrote2025-11-12 05:22 pm

Cyberspace Theory

In praise of the small things in life: DDG Bangs!

DuckDuckGo is a privacy-respecting search engine launched in 2008 that has been slowly expanding into something else truly. (I mean, come on, Identity Theft Restoration?). Well, nevertheless, I still use DuckDuckGo because it's easy, their search results aren't polluted with all sorts of nonsense, they did introduce an AI summarize feature but I don't use it and it's easy to opt out thankfully. But all of that pales in comparison to the best DDG feature, Bangs!

Bangs are… well it's kinda hard to describe them, it's basically a shortcut from your search engine to wherever else, so if you have DuckDuckGo set as your search engine, you can basically search using other search engines quite easily
!
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ysabetwordsmith ([personal profile] ysabetwordsmith) wrote2025-11-12 02:32 pm

Shopping

Here is an interesting discussion about what it costs to buy kitchen equipment. None of this is how I'd go about it, unless someone handed me grant money earmarked for that purpose. (Fair disclosure: I could make a crude but usable knife by busting a rock, and I could cook on a flat rock or with sticks. Kitchen equipment is a beloved convenience for me.)

Read more... )
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ysabetwordsmith ([personal profile] ysabetwordsmith) wrote2025-11-12 02:08 pm

Conservation

Massachusetts is turning retired cranberry bogs into natural wetlands. They’re on track to rewild 1,000 acres

In November 2024, the DER funneled $6 million in grants to the restoration plan. According to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, more than 500 acres of retired cranberry bogs have already been converted into wetlands — with hopes of restoring 1,000 acres in the next decade.

“These projects will transform degraded former cranberry bogs into thriving wetlands that will provide habitat to important species, flood control in time of storms, and access for all to beautiful natural areas,” Governor Maura Healey said in a statement.



This is a brilliant plan that will provide tremendous benefits for wildlife, as wetlands are among the most biodiverse communities. It will be especially helpful to migrating waterfowl of the Atlantic Flyway.


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ysabetwordsmith ([personal profile] ysabetwordsmith) wrote2025-11-12 01:52 pm

Birdfeeding

Today is sunny and mild, a beautiful fall day.

I fed the birds.  I've seen a mixed flock of sparrows and house finches plus a fox squirrel.

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 11/12/25 -- I planted 4 clusters of Egyptian walking onions.

EDIT 11/12/25 -- I filled a trolley with dead weeds and dumped it in the firepit.

EDIT 11/12/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

EDIT 11/12/25 -- I did more work around the patio.

EDIT 11/12/25 -- I filled another trolley with dead weeds and dumped it in the firepit.

As it is getting dark, I am done for the night.
 
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dialecticdreamer ([personal profile] dialecticdreamer) wrote2025-11-12 10:10 am
Entry tags:

2025 November Magpie (not Monday)

Welcome to the November of 2025 Magpie Monday!

Yes, it’s Wednesday. Yes, I’m “running late.” I’m very sorry about that. Life keeps kicking me in the shins, on Mondays! So, I’m turning that recurring nonsense into an actual theme!
Read more... )
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shadowhive ([personal profile] shadowhive) wrote2025-11-12 12:56 pm

(no subject)

So it’s been almost a week since the last post, so it’s probably time for another even though I’ve not done anything too exciting.

First off nintendo have decided that this is gonna be a random announcement week. There is confirmation of a new Zelda Lego set coming next year, which judging by the video seems to be the Ganon fight from Ocarina of time (with a new Zelda!). I’m so glad they’re finally doing another one, I’m honestly surprised it’s took them this long.

The other two announcements are more annoying in the sense I can’t see what they are on time. There’s a thing about the Mario film (today) which seems to be info on it so likely a trailer and tomorrow there’s a new Pokopia trailer which I’m so hyped to see but again I’ll miss it. (Today causa heading out for the gig, tomorrow cause of the last opticians appointment).

But anyway, the weekend was largely uneventful, mostly cause of being wiped energy wise. However the IT blu ray came so I’m all set to watch that whenever. But mostly I was just flop, though I have done Pokémon ZA some more, mostly sidequest stuff though I have progressed on the main quest and finally met Corbeau who is really hot (though shorter than I expected).

Monday was the trip to the vets cause of Naryu’s ears and it seems they’re (finally!) all sorted so she was at last able to have the first of her jabs. That’s good, though it was a different vet this time and his unfamiliarity was clear.

I picked up the empire Stranger Things from sainsburys, along with some of the big Doritos bags cause they were on offer then came back, flopped and did more ZA.

In the night I watched the latest Once Upon A Time In Space, which has been this interesting thing about astronaut and others who have worked in the space programme. It’s been really interesting so far with them talking about their experiences openly, both the food and the bad. (And the first ep was so sad cause there was one guy talking about his brother who sadly died when the shuttle blew up) This one made me sad about Mir, even though it was getting rundown at this point (and last weeks had incidents happening there). It’s just a shame it was scuppered due to politics.

Then I watched IT Welcome To Derry. This week was a more ‘tame’ ep in comparison to the first two, but it was still really great. (And damn who is letting these kids out unsupervised so often!) And yay Taniel (Joshua Odjick) got lines this time! And I saw he’s in the next time trailer so I’m excited for next week’s.

On Sunday I watched the next ep of Wednesday, leaving one ep left. Instead of waiting a week I decided to watch it last night. So what did I think of Wednesday season 2? (Under a cut for spoilers, and likely rambles)

Read more... )

I’m heading out in a few hours (around 2) for the James Marriott gig tonight, yipee! I would usually head out later cause being in Birmingham for a gig means I can’t do too much (and I’d rather go to my usual cinema than the odeon for stuff) but I wanna try for the Stranger Things cafe so fingers crossed I can this time. Then it’ll just be a matter of killing time (which again hard cause I can neither take anything to do or get anything I see, unless it’s small).
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ysabetwordsmith ([personal profile] ysabetwordsmith) wrote2025-11-12 01:42 am
Entry tags:

Cuddle Party

Everyone 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!


Thanksgiving is just around the corner, along with various other harvest festivals and feasts. :D Load up the table! I am putting out Delectable Turkey of Gratitude, Buddha's Hand Salad, Mashed Yams with Halva, Persimmon Crumble, and apple cider.

Read more... )
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ysabetwordsmith ([personal profile] ysabetwordsmith) wrote2025-11-11 11:03 pm

Aurora

Solar flares are causing auroras to appear in the northern half of the continental USA.

We caught a great show here in central Illinois. :D There was a large bright green blob to the northwest, a paler green streak just south of that, a larger red area just north of it, and some pink off toward the northeast. It's the most distinctive aurora we've seen -- previous examples tended to be solid sheets and less bright.
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conuly ([personal profile] conuly) wrote2025-11-11 04:30 pm

Today is my grandmother's birthday

She was inordinately pleased to have been born on the anniversary of the Armistice, not that it kept her country from being invaded again when she was a young woman.

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


Read more... )
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dialecticdreamer ([personal profile] dialecticdreamer) wrote2025-11-11 10:29 pm

#43 Night Guest, Right Guest? (part 1 of 1, complete)

Night Guest, Right Guest?
By Dialecticdreamer/Sarah Williams
Part 1 of 1, complete
Word count (story only): 1189
[Sunday, May 10, 2020, night]


:: Declan pleads his case among the Teagues. Part of the Edison’s Mirror universe. ::



Declan scanned the enormous pallet made on the living room floor next to one cluster of couches and armchairs. “Wha--” He froze, swallowing the last sound of the word, staring at Ed’s impressive scowl.

‘Sit down,” Vic suggested. He turned to the preteen. “Ed, can you eat a few bites? I was thinking of a peanut butter cookie sandwich, and I’d love company.”

“I’ll make some tea,” Aidan offered. “Declan, would you like some? It’s raspberry leaf.”

Declan kept looking around the living room. “Sure. Yeah. Thanks.” He spun in a slow circle. “What’s going on with the three of you?”
Read more... )
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ysabetwordsmith ([personal profile] ysabetwordsmith) wrote2025-11-11 06:20 pm

Space Exploration

This picture of a horse in a spacesuit snagged my attention. There are a lot of things wrong with the picture, but one in particular I wanted to talk about because it's so relevant to science fiction. That horse would be almost blind.  Humans see mostly forward with binocular vision.  Horses see mostly sideways with monocular vision; they have a narrow blind spot in back, another right in front of them, and a little wedge of binocular vision.  This is why you always approach a horse from the side, where they can see you easily, and why they often turn their head to look at you sideways if you are in front of them.

So a spacesuit helmet for a prey species with eyes to the side should have its reinforcement as a strip from front to back, with a faceplate on either side, rather than a small window only in the front.  When you design spacesuits for aliens, keep in mind how their sensory organs work, and try to avoid just mimicking equipment designed for humans.
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ysabetwordsmith ([personal profile] ysabetwordsmith) wrote2025-11-11 02:01 pm
Entry tags:

Wildlife

Killer whales perfect a ruthless trick to hunt great white sharks

Orcas in Mexico are flipping young great whites for their livers — a chilling display of intelligence and adaptation.

In the Gulf of California, a pod of orcas known as Moctezuma’s pod has developed a chillingly precise technique for hunting young great white sharks — flipping them upside down to paralyze and extract their nutrient-rich livers. The behavior, filmed and documented by marine biologists, reveals a level of intelligence and social learning that suggests cultural transmission of hunting tactics among orcas.