vivdunstan

( 17. An Academic Affair - Jodi McAlister ) Enormously fun and I'm hoping for sequels!

( 18. The Shots You Take - Rachel Reid ) Fairly forgettable, but still entertaining enough to keep me reading.

( 19. The Spy Who Loved Me - Ian Fleming ) I don't think Fleming is for me, but there was some enjoyment available.

( Greenwing and Dart - Victoria Goddard ) Fluffy, fun (despite a substantial amount of mortal peril) and a generally satisfying binge.

( 26. How to Win Friends and Influence People - Dale Carnegie ) Dated but I think still worth reading.

( 27. Holiday in Death, 28. Festive in Death, and 29. Framed in Death - JD Robb ) I always enjoy these - but particularly liked the opportunity to revisit the early part of the series in contrast to the newer state of things!

( 30. Derring-Do for Beginners - Victoria Goddard ) I was hoping for more actual, you know, Red Company, but this was so much fun I can't have too many regrets.

( 31. Jane Austen: A Life - Claire Tomalin ) I think this is probably as enlightening as it could reasonably have been, but I was a little disappointed, somehow, despite learning a fair amount. It's not badly-written at all, but it never really won me over somehow.

( 32. Chain-Gang All-Stars - Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah ) Ultra-violent, really thumpingly Message-y, and strangely compelling; I don't think I'll ever want to re-read it, but I am interested to see where Adjei-Brenyah goes from here.

( 33. Blood Sport, 35. The Edge, and 37. Risk - Dick Francis ) A trio of delightfully exciting nonsenses; I'm so sorry I didn't discover Francis years ago, but on the other hand at least they are a source of joy for me now.

( 34. Men Explain Things to Me - Rebecca Solnit ) A short but concentrated dose of feminist rage.

( 36. Outcrossing - Celia Lake ) On paper this absolutely should be my jam, but it entirely is not.

( 38. Batman: Wayne Family Adventures vol 2 - CRC Payne and Starbite ) Adorable. This series is just so fun.

( 39. Just One Damned Thing After Another - Jodi Taylor ) This is a fun concept, but the archaeology / history is worse than in Connie Willis' Oxford Time Travel books and that's saying something. I didn't hate it, but I had to disconnect my brain way too much to enjoy it.

( 40. Ambiguity Machines - Vandana Singh ) A really excellent collection, even though I couldn't muster quite the delight I wanted from it.

( 41. Get A Life, Chloe Brown - Talia Hibbert ) I enjoyed this, although I'm not sure if I'll read more Hibbert.

Current Mood: accomplished

$radiantfracture: Beadwork bunny head (Default)$

radiantfracture

As usual, true scholars, please forgive my dilettante's sense of discovery over things you have always known.

When searching for some examples of "pleasing the heart" as erotic joy, as per

sovay's information, I arrived at this (in the ETCSL).

( A love song of Shu-Suen )

§rf§

1. Well, a balbale, but the immediate internet is of limited use in defining this except as a form that uses variety in repetition.

2. For those interested, the transliterated Sumerian given for this phrase is ^dcu-^dsuen cag₄ ^dmu-ul-lil₂-la₂-ke₄ ba-ze2-be₂-en-na-ju₁₀.

I assume the subscript numbers refer to different versions of the cuneiform character. I dunno about the superscript d.

jwz_blog_feed

Posted by jwz

https://www.jwz.org/blog/2026/03/the-best-privacy-money-can-buy/

https://jwz.org/b/yk4s

North Oaks, Minnesota is the only city in the United States that is not on Google Maps Street View. YouTube documentarian Chris Parr, who grew up not too far from North Oaks, set out to change that earlier this year. For a brief few days, he literally put North Oaks on the map. And then it was gone again.

"It's known by Minnesotans as a place where executives and CEOs live," Parr told 404 Media. "Famously Walter Mondale is from North Oaks, but also like United Healthcare executives and Target executives."
North Oaks has managed to largely stay unmapped on Street View because of the way the city handles its streets. In almost every city and town in the United States, property owners give an easement to their local government for the roads in front of their homes (or don't have any claim to the roads at all). In North Oaks, homeowners' property extends into the middle of the street, meaning there is literally no "public" property in the city, and the roads are maintained by the North Oaks Homeowners' Association (NOHOA): "the City owns no roads, land, or buildings." [...]
"Technically, if you launch your drone from public property, which anyone can do if you're a registered drone pilot, you can fly it straight up and above private property," Parr said. And so Parr stood at "six or seven different spots" directly outside the boundary of North Oaks and flew his drone around. "I just pulled my car over onto the shoulder and popped my drone up and flew it over," he added. [...]
"According to North Oak's ordinances, you can go like, visit a friend, or if you're a contractor working on a house, you can go into the city, but you have to be an invited guest," Parr said. "I made a Craigslist post asking for somebody to invite me and I got an absolute ton of responses."

Previously, previously, previously, previously, previously, previously, previously, previously.

https://www.jwz.org/blog/2026/03/the-best-privacy-money-can-buy/

https://jwz.org/b/yk4s

bleodswean posting in

our_souls_are_made_of

We did it! We read Wuthering Heights together and had some amazing, insightful, and moving discussions about this novel. This very, very important work.

Do we want to keep going? Should we choose another book? Or do we want to begin watching the variety of Wuthering Heights screen adaptations together and discussing? Building up to the digital release at the end of this month of Emerald's "Wuthering Heights"?

For books, we could try many things but here's a few suggestions:

DH Lawrence - Lady Chatterley's Lover
A novel that many of us believe is a "consumated" Wuthering Heights

DH Lawrence - The Virgin and the Gipsy
A novella full of longing and well a gipsy which many of us believe was Emily's intention with Heathcliff

Alice Hoffman - Here on Earth
A novel that is construed as Wuthering Heights derivative

Let's discuss in comments. Suggest another title if you think it's appropriate! Or another activity. I still would like to try some weekly writing prompts.

jwz_blog_feed

Posted by jwz

https://www.jwz.org/blog/2026/03/tinder-to-ai-your-dick-pix/

https://jwz.org/b/yk4q

In a feature the dating app says is set to roll out in the U.S. later this spring, Tinder plans to access users' camera rolls to pick photos and determine what they're into.

"It's up to you to figure out what you're comfortable sharing back with Tinder," Tinder Head of Product Mark Kantor told 404 Media. Still, users can't pick individual photos they want analyzed or ignored. [...]
Tinder has already leaned heavily into AI. Kantor told 404 Media that artificial intelligence is writing more than half the app's code these days.

Previously, previously, previously, previously.

https://www.jwz.org/blog/2026/03/tinder-to-ai-your-dick-pix/

https://jwz.org/b/yk4q

pensnest

The sky was beautifully blue on Sunday, a helpful incentive to get me out in the garden. I unstrangled the blackcurrant bushes from the netting I had put very badly over them, then dug out a bunch of weeds, rediscovered the tentatively emerging rhubarbs, and planted a rhubarb root that I was given recently. Good job, plenty more to do.

( lots more rambling about garden, dancing, and stuff )

Costume night at rehearsal this evening. I have accumulated a number of witchy outfit-adjacent items, it will be a matter of figuring out how they fit together. But at least I won't have to go on stage naked, even though that would probably be more authentic than anything else.

ysabetwordsmith

Today is mostly sunny and mild. :D

The stump grinder guy has come and gone. He did an excellent job. The stump in front of the garden shed is gone and the hole mostly filled, though I'll add some top soil to smooth it out more. The east path is nearly smooth, might need a bit of raking. I'm particularly impressed that a ring of daffodils around the plump stump is still there! I had expected to lose those, so the precision is noteworthy. The parking lot is also nearly smooth. He got right up to the edge of the sidewalk and rock wall, although he advised there are some buried rocks and concrete that we didn't know about. I may need to rake some areas, and certainly need to see about removing the last stubs from the sidewalk to recreate that defensive zone. My partner Doug plans to drive over the parking lot to press it down some before ordering a load of fresh gravel to top it. Progress!

I fed the birds. I've seen a mixed flock of sparrows and house finches. Cardinals are singing.

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 3/19/26 -- I put about half a bag of topsoil into the hole in front of the garden shed to smooth it out. That may need more later after it settles, but it'll do for now.

EDIT 3/19/26 -- I filled a flat of 12 pots with potting soil and in each pot I planted 5 seeds of short landrace marigolds. These are similar to Shithouse Marigolds but shorter. If I can get them growing well, I can save money buying nursery marigolds. I covered them with a plastic tub to serve as a greenhouse. I still need to label them though.

EDIT 3/19/26 -- I labeled the marigolds.

I checked the east path. It doesn't really need anything but grass seed. We'll need to buy a big bag of that. Recommended time for spring sowing is late March to mid-April.

I checked the parking lot. I picked up a few pieces of junk that were churned up, but it's also pretty good. I do need to work on clearing more of the sidewalk, but a lot of that will just be brushing dirt off it.

EDIT 3/19/26 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

.

Current Mood: busy

smbc_comics_feed

Posted by Zach Weinersmith

https://www.smbc-comics.com/comic/love-9

Click here to go see the bonus panel!

Hovertext:
Fortunately the comic cuts off at the waist.

Today's News:

https://www.smbc-comics.com/comic/love-9

puddleshark

Unexpected sunshine & an even more unexpected 15 degrees C. The pots I planted up with randomly-chosen bulbs last November are starting to reveal some of their secrets!

( Read more... )

thewayne

"I think a president should not have learning disabilities, okay?... Gavin Newsom admitted that he has learning disabilities, dyslexia -- everything about him is dumb."
-- Trump

"We have a smart president, whereas in the past we've had dumb presidents."
-- JD Vance

So let's see. We have a governor who has overcome a learning disability to become very high achieving, versus someone with, as far as we know, no learning disability who has achieved very little and instead chosen to do nothing except bully, extort, rape, molest, steal, threaten, belittle, insult, and I could go on. And we also have a lackey who changes political positions with the slightest change in the wind. Said lackey who also failed to learn from his predecessor that he's likely to get thrown under the bus the moment that the going gets tough for his boss.

Truly a pair made for each other.

mindstalk

Guess I haven't had a Major Outing since the museum visit of the 11th. Keep dithering and getting out late, or having an online social event in the morning, or (yesterday) actually waking up after noon because I guess my body needed it. I've been out, but it's been small things like reading in the nice park, or going out for sushi... actually, I guess the 16th did add up to an Outing; I went to the Sushiro east of me, then walked north through a wet market, then a not-yet-open night market, to the river. ( Read more... )

galadhir

90 discussion questions. 1. If you could travel anywhere, where would you go and why?

There are so many places! If I'm imagining myself being as physically limited as I am now - whereby I find walking difficult for more than about half an hour at best - then a cruise might be best.

I would like to cruise up the Danube and see the painted churches of Romania. But then again I would also like to cruise down the Nile and see Luxor. I could take a few lessons with Egyptian Raqs Sharqi teachers and get a new outfit while I was there.

If, on this imaginary trip, I'm also imagining myself as physically fit again, I'd like to go to Mexico and see what remains of Tenochtitlan, the Aztec capital. Or perhaps to Peru to visit Machu Picchu

Alternatively, my son would like to go to Japan, so perhaps I would use my imaginary trip to take him there.

thewayne

My final trip to Phoenix to finish up my brother's affairs.
( Read more... )

ysabetwordsmith

This year I'm doing Community Thursdays. Some of my activity will involve maintaining communities I run, and my favorites. Some will involve checking my list of subscriptions and posting in lower-traffic ones. Today I have interacted with the following communities...

* Posted "Tutorials" on

getting_started.

* Posted "Gaming" on

girlgamers.

* Posted "Ostara" on

goddessfolk.

* Posted "Birdfeeding" on

birdfeeding.

Current Mood: busy

siderea

Just hit play.

(All about the sound, but visuals also nice.)

2026 Mar 18: Benn Jordan [BennJordan YT]: "I'm here to disrupt the finance synthesizer scene."

Watch on YouTube

siderea

Screenshot of two comments on X. One says, "Reading Dune. Frank Herbert was cooking." and shows a section of a photo of a book page reading, "'Once, men turned their thinking over to machines in the hope that this would set them free. But that only permitted other men with machines to enslave them.' '"Thou shalt not make a machine in the likeness of a man's mind,"' Paul quoted." Below that someone replied, paging Grok, X's resident AI, "please explain this post and the quote in in, what should I understand about it?"

Debate is raging on BSky if this is deliberate wit or accidental idiocy.

(h/t user mlyp.bsky.social)

jwz_blog_feed

Posted by jwz

https://www.jwz.org/blog/2026/03/today-in-acab-afroman-defeats-officer-lemon-pound-cake/

https://jwz.org/b/yk4o

Afroman found not liable in bizarre Ohio defamation case

Afroman did not defame Ohio cops in a satirical music video that featured footage of them fruitlessly raiding the rapper's house, a jury found on Wednesday. [...]
The hip hop star wrote the satirical song "Lemon Pound Cake" and made a music video with real footage of the raid taken from his home surveillance cameras to raise money for property damage caused during the search, he has said.
Seven cops with the sheriff's office then sued him in March 2023, alleging the music video defamed them, invaded their constitutional privacy, and was an intentional infliction of emotional distress.
The video features footage of the cops busting down his door, and of one officer eyeing his "mama's lemon poundcake" with his gun drawn. [...]
An attorney for the police, meanwhile, demanded a total of $3.9 million in damages -- divided among the seven officers involved.

Previously, previously, previously, previously, previously, previously, previously, previously.

https://www.jwz.org/blog/2026/03/today-in-acab-afroman-defeats-officer-lemon-pound-cake/

https://jwz.org/b/yk4o

landofnowhere

Chroniques du Pays des Mères, Élisabeth Vonarburg. Nearing the end; only two more weeks to go. This week we get to see a bit more of the world, learn a bit more about the worldbuilding (I am holding myself back from making demographic spreadsheets), and hang out with the Sexy Twins. The end of this installment teases a new historical discovery, which I look forward to reading about next week!

Success, Una Silberrad, 1912. Michael Annarly is a brilliant engineer who has no interest in office politics. His cousin Nan Barminster is a nondescript young woman who works for her father, an antique furniture dealer, and is quietly brilliant in her own way. After an incident completely derails Michael's promising career, Nan takes him under her wing. Previously having read three Una Silberrads, I had a good sense of how she writes relationships between men and women, even though the arcs have been different in each book I've read, which helped me figure out where this was going. ( spoilers )

Other sociological notes: Michael works in weapons manufacture, and sells his designs to multiple countries, and only one character (whose progressive politics is portrayed as a charming character quirk) even bats an eyelid about the ethics of profiting off war. There are also some very brief mentions of the Barminsters doing business with Jews, but while the language is slightly jarring it gives a sense of them as serious businessmen.

sonia posting in

gluten_free

I would like to have more high-protein snacks on hand, and the usual suggestions don't work for my digestive system (nuts, soy, dairy, beans). Does anyone have recipes to recommend? I'm thinking something like mini-frittatas made in muffin cups. Some kind of meatballs would be an option, but I'd prefer something that was less fuss to make. Thanks!

I did a quick search before posting and found this recipe: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/231480/muffin-pan-frittatas/ Looks reasonable, although I wouldn't put in milk or cheese. At least it gives me proportions and baking time.

dewline

If anyone's trying to reach me via Facebook these days, I'm having issues navigating the site these days. At least until 10 PM most nights. The pages load up slower than I'm used to these days...

Current Mood: annoyed

Profile

vivdunstan

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March 2026

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Page Summary

wychwood - february booklog of excess
radiantfracture - more stumbling through ancient poetry
jwz_blog_feed - The best privacy money can buy
bleodswean in our_souls_are_made_of - (no subject)
jwz_blog_feed - Tinder to AI your dick pix
pensnest - knowing, slowing, growing things
ysabetwordsmith - Birdfeeding
smbc_comics_feed - Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal - Love
puddleshark - Narcissus 'Snipe'
thewayne - Today's Doonesbury Say What
mindstalk - Taipei notes
galadhir - (no subject)
thewayne - Too much fun!
ysabetwordsmith - Community Thursdays
siderea - Benn Jordan plays the stock market [econ, tech, dataviz, music]
siderea - Grok, explain Butlerian Jihad [ai]
jwz_blog_feed - Today in ACAB: Afroman defeats Officer Lemon Pound Cake
landofnowhere - wednesday books have families
sonia in gluten_free - Request: High-protein snacks
dewline - About Facebook These Days?

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Network

february booklog of excess

more stumbling through ancient poetry

The best privacy money can buy

(no subject)

Tinder to AI your dick pix

knowing, slowing, growing things

Birdfeeding

Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal - Love

Narcissus 'Snipe'

Today's Doonesbury Say What

Taipei notes

(no subject)

Too much fun!

Community Thursdays

Benn Jordan plays the stock market [econ, tech, dataviz, music]

Grok, explain Butlerian Jihad [ai]

Today in ACAB: Afroman defeats Officer Lemon Pound Cake

wednesday books have families

Request: High-protein snacks

About Facebook These Days?

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March 2026

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