Economics

Dec. 9th, 2025 03:55 am
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[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
The 50-Year Mortgage Was Always Coming.

When homes are priced beyond what local incomes can sustain, the system stretches the debt instead of fixing the root problem.


In most cases, a 50-year mortgage is outright fraud.

Read more... )

Mod Post: Off-Topic Tuesday

Dec. 9th, 2025 08:37 am
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[personal profile] icon_uk posting in [community profile] scans_daily
In the comments to these weekly posts (and only these posts), it's your chance to go as off topic as you like.

Talk about non-comics stuff, thread derail, and just generally chat among yourselves.

The intent of these posts is to chat and have some fun and, sure, vent a little as required. Reasoned debate is fine, as always, but if you have to ask if something is going over the line, think carefully before posting please.

Normal board rules about conduct and behaviour still apply, of course.

It's been suggested that, if discussing spoilers for recent media events, it might be advisable to consider using the rot13 method to prevent other members seeing spoilers in passing.

The world situation is the world situation. If you're following the news, you know it as much as I do, if you're not, then there are better sources than scans_daily. But please, no doomscrolling, for your own sake.

In deeply unfortunate moves in the UK, both girlguiding and the Women's Institute have announced they will no longer accept trans girls and women as members, both made it clear that they still believe transwomen to be women, and are only doing so is due to concerns regarding possible legal action following the UK Supreme Courts recent ruling that gender, under law, is solely defined by biology at birth.

In more surreal news from the US, and in an inspired bit of trolling, FIFA presented POTUS 47 with an entirely made up "Peace Prize" at the World Cup Draw. The ultimate participation trophy, and a medal he hung aorund his own neck, grinning like a five year old.

An interesting piece from the Sedgewick County Zoo, on the dangers imlpicit in AI animal content videos, and how to spot them.

In the run up to the release of "Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery", a tribute of sorts was shown by, of all things, "Sesame Street" with their guest star Beignet Blanc, starring in "Forks Out".

In fact the only thing which could make this cooler ALSO happens, as we got a reaction video

The UNIT based miniseries, "The War Between the Land and the Sea" debuted with two episodes on Sunday (in the UK at least, those accessing it via Disney+ will have to wait until January 2026) and, believe it or not, it was terrific! Classic RTD firing on all cylinders. We met new kinds of Homo Aqua, Russell Tovey as an everyman stuck into a high stakes situation more or less by accident carries the role brilliantly, and the effects were GORGEOUS! PLEASE let this be as consistently good as these two episodes!
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[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
This is the second part of the Tuscola Winter Window Walk. Begin with Part 1.

Walk with me ... )
ysabetwordsmith: Cartoon of me in Wordsmith persona (Default)
[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
Monday we visited Tuscola so I could take pictures of the holiday window paintings. These were done by Libby Neathery of Libby Jo Art Studio and there are 22 in this year's batch. I did not find quite all of them but I came close. Despite changing the camera batteries right before we left home, I barely got through the two sides of the block with Flesor's Candy Kitchen before the batteries died, so we had to stop and get new ones. I did manage to finish photographing the rest of the windows we found.  I love seeing local artists do things like this, because it encourages people to get out and look for them. A little slice of Terramagne! (Continue with Part 2.)

Walk with me ... )

Today's Adventures

Dec. 8th, 2025 08:32 pm
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[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
Today we visited Tuscola and Champaign for holiday activities.

Read more... )

Birdfeeding

Dec. 8th, 2025 08:22 pm
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[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
Today is sunny and quite cold.

I fed the birds.  I've seen a large mixed flock of sparrows and house finches plus a male cardinal.

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 12/8/25 -- While we were out, we saw a small flock of white birds with long necks.  They may have been swans or geese.  Trumpeter swans are the largest of those found in Illinois and tend to hold their necks straight, which these were doing, and the juveniles are gray, which I also saw.  Tundra swans are similar but smaller.  The pictures of geese are stockier with much shorter necks, so I'm thinking we saw swans.

TV, bird tv, fire tv

Dec. 8th, 2025 02:20 pm
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[personal profile] cimorene
I intend to watch the three released episodes of Heated Rivalry so I can know what everyone (my wife) is talking about, but I haven't got to it yet. I am obviously spoiled by Tumblr posts but I haven't watched the bits between the gifsets.

I rewatched Derry Girls over the last two weeks while attempting to knit this nephew sweater (made it to first sleeve cuff again, finally!). That show is so good, and it's so frustrating, because there's nothing more that's like it! All the main adult actors are also so good, but none of them have a long back catalogue of other comedy to watch! And of course the writer, Lisa McGee, needs time to write more things.

I have a long list of things I've been intending to watch and rewatch, but it feels like I don't have enough emotional bandwidth, or attention, or something, for starting new long things that are going to be dramatic.

So I've been watching a ton of non fiction instead:

➡️very old Folding Ideas and Hbomberguy videos

➡️Mentour Pilot's back catalog of aviation disaster explainers (previously I was familiar from watching over [personal profile] waxjism's shoulder)

➡️Defunctland episodes that aren't too Disney-focused (a mention on Tumblr reminded me and I've only seen a few before)

➡️KyleHatesHiking videos about true crime, accidents, and missing persons cases related to hiking and outdoor sports (recommended by my sister last week)

➡️BobbyBroccoli science scandal documentaries (there's a new movie on Nebula, but otherwise I've watched them all before)

Meanwhile Wax is filling our bird feeders (seed and tallow ball) sometimes multiple times a day and the bird traffic is constant. Sipuli will sit by the window watching them like tv. Tristana is happy to sit in a chair facing the woodstove and watch the fire like it's a tv, sometimes for hours.

Monday Update 12-8-25

Dec. 8th, 2025 02:41 am
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[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
These are some posts from the later part of last week in case you missed them:
Holiday Activities
Today's Cooking
Climate Change
Christmas Bird Count
Birdfeeding
Holiday Activities
Affordable Housing
Read "The Sound of Celebration"
Economics
Science
Today's Adventures
Climate Change
Philosophical Questions: Trends
Today's Cooking
Activism
Economics
Birdfeeding
Follow Friday 12-5-25: Active Communities on Dreamwidth Fall 2025 J-Z
Photos: House Yard
Today's Adventures
Activism
Art
Birdfeeding
Wildlife
Poem: "Protect the Inner Core"
Photography
Birdfeeding
Poem: "Never -- Ever -- Quit"
Self-Care Wednesday
Cuddle Party

Trauma has 45 comments. Affordable Housing has 75 comments. Robotics has 101 comments.


The 2025 Holiday Poetry Sale will run Monday, December 15 through Friday 19. This is a good place to spend holiday money or buy a gift for a fellow bookworm. \o/


Winterfaire 2025 is now open! List a Booth for anything you sell that would make good holiday gifts, or comment with what you're shopping for to crowdsource ideas. There are links to two similar shopping events online. if you know others, please pass the word.


"An Inkling of Things to Come" belongs to Polychrome: Shiv. It has 44 new verses and needs $72 to be complete. Shiv and his classmates discuss magical weather, magical geography, natural resources, plants and animals, history, and other aspects of worldbuilding.


The weather has been cold and snowy here. Seen at the birdfeeders this week: a large mixed flock of sparrows and house finches, several mourning doves, one female and two male cardinals, and a dark-eyed junco.

Holiday Activities

Dec. 8th, 2025 12:09 am
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[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
The Fragile Heart’s Guide to Surviving the Holidays

Because I know I’m not the only one facing the challenges that this time of year makes even harder. Perhaps it’s your first holiday after your divorce and you’ll be away from your kids, or you’ve been laid off in this terrible economy; perhaps anticipatory grief won’t let you forget that this will be your last Hanukkah with a beloved relative. Maybe you’re facing a scary health challenge. There are as many ways to be emotionally rocked this holiday season as there are on needles on a Christmas tree.


This article offers some good advice for treating emotional injuries over the holiday season.

Read more... )
[personal profile] tcampbell1000 posting in [community profile] scans_daily


Was Guy Gardner mellowing or not? Since his return to his original personality in issue #18, he’d been sending mixed signals (#19, #23, #26, #27, Wonder Woman #26, Invasion #3).

Which itself is a classic asshole move, so add that to the mix. )

Today's Cooking

Dec. 7th, 2025 11:44 pm
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[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
Today I'm making Lemon Thumbprint Cookies. :D The first filling is Lemon-Elderflower from Berries & Flour and the second is bettergoods Raspberry, Cardamom & Rosehip Fruit Spread.  We've tried the Lemon-Elderflower first and that jam is quite strong.  Thumbprint cookies are the perfect use because there's only about 1/4 teaspoon in each.  On toast it might be overpowering.  Another good use would be thinning it down to glaze for a fruit salad or tart.
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[personal profile] 22degreehalo posting in [community profile] fancake
Fandom: The Scum Villain's Self-Saving System
Pairings/Characters: Luo Binghe/Shen Qingqiu
Rating: Explicit
Length: 18,992
Creator Links: [archiveofourown.org profile] benwisehart
Theme: Amnesty, Book Fandoms, Domestic, Established Relationship, Humor, Trauma & Recovery

Summary: The System gives Shen Qingqiu the ability to exchange B-Points for items, and what better way to earn points than by raising the satisfaction level of Zhongdian's favourite protagonist?

OR: The one where Shen Qingqiu starts seducing the fuck out of Binghe in order to enable his caffeine addiction.

Reccer's Notes: This one seems like it'd be just a fun kinky romp (which it also is!), but it's also very thoughtful about why Shen Qingqiu was reluctant to indulge in some of these things to begin with. Sometimes it's just his self-conscious personality, and sometimes it's because he was too quick to judge, but he's also his own person with his own preferences and traumas and those deserve to be respected, too! Really, the ultimate benefit out of this whole sequence of events might just have been allowing these two a sliver of genuine open communication, even if that's sometimes a hard-won lesson.

Fanwork Links: The Scum Villain's Sex and Pleasure Catalogue
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[personal profile] icon_uk posting in [community profile] scans_daily
By which I mean, my pick of this years DC "Sweater Weather" covers, due in February 2026.

And it wasn't exactly a difficult choice as it's: Nightwing #134

Travis Moore draws m'boy again )

Climate Change

Dec. 7th, 2025 03:11 pm
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[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
Satellites spot rapid “Doomsday Glacier” collapse

Two decades of satellite and GPS data show the Thwaites Eastern Ice Shelf slowly losing its grip on a crucial stabilizing point as fractures multiply and ice speeds up. Scientists warn this pattern could spread to other vulnerable Antarctic shelves.

Christmas Bird Count

Dec. 7th, 2025 02:19 pm
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[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
Join the Christmas Bird Count from December 14-January 5. This is a popular piece of citizen science. To participate, see a map of active circles to find one near you. If you're inside one, you can also count birds at your own feeders.

Are you taking pictures of birds in your locale? Share them on [community profile] birdfeeding and see what other folks have in their areas.

Birdfeeding

Dec. 7th, 2025 01:45 pm
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[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
Today is cloudy, chilly, and foggy.  Much of the snow is melting or subliming with the water vapor just hanging in the air.

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

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 12/7/25 -- I bagged up Pink, Johnathan, and Johnagold apple seeds with damp sand to cold-stratify in the kitchen.

EDIT 12/7/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

EDIT 12/7/25 -- I did more work around the patio.

EDIT 12/7/25 -- I did more work around the patio.

I've seen a large mixed flock of sparrows and house finches plus a pair of cardinals.

EDIT 12/7/25 -- I did more work around the patio.

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

Holiday Activities

Dec. 7th, 2025 01:41 pm
ysabetwordsmith: Cartoon of me in Wordsmith persona (Default)
[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
The three act structure and holidays

So, now, I'm thinking of organizing holidays/really exciting events around these three factors:
* buildup appropriate to the event (edit: with a sense of joy and wonder, as a friend points out)
* a climax that is fun/exciting/enjoyable enough to justify all the buildup
* the day of the event should be low enough stress that the participants have the energy to enjoy it



This is a very astute analysis of holidays, how they work, and how to make them enjoyable. While it can't fix the problem of holiday sprawl in the wider culture, it CAN make a huge difference in how you approach them personally or as a family to create better experiences.

I've got a long comment under this post discussing some of my observations and practices too.
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[personal profile] full_metal_ox posting in [community profile] fancake
Fandom: Lord of the Rings; How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Pairings/Characters: Gen; Sauron, the Mouth of Sauron, Pippin, Sam Gamgee, the Hobbit community
Rating: General Audiences
Length: (Fic) 957 words; (Comic) 30 panels
Content Notes: No Archive Warnings Apply
Creator Tags:

Erisif | Valarhalla: #i could have done something useful today #instead i wrote this #i hate myself
english-history-trip: #lotr #nonsense #well that was my day how was yours #why is sauron in a cave and then a tower #go to hell that's why #why is frodo bartholomew cubbins instead of a who #the answer won't surprise you

Creator Links:
(Fic):
Elisif: (AO3) [archiveofourown.org profile] Elisif; (Tumblr) [tumblr.com profile] valarhalla
(Fancomic): english-history-trip: (Tumblr) [tumblr.com profile] english-history-trip

Theme: Amnesty, Crack, Crossovers/Fusions, Just Plain Fun, Non-Fic Recs: Fanart, Non-Fic Recs: Fancomic, Poetry, Tumblore

Summary: Every being in Eä liked peacetime a lot…
But Sauron, who was also in Eä, did NOT.


Reccer's Notes: Elisif’s retelling of The War of the Ring in Seussian rhyming verse, firmly informed by The Lore, maps the Shire onto Whoville without introducing an anachronistic Christmas (that’s for Narnia.)

And then, in proper cumulative Tumbloric fashion, english-history-trip proceeds to remix Seussian illustrations to match. (Spoiler: Sauron does not experience redemptive cardiac enlargement; another character gets to preside over the grand climactic celebration.)

Fanwork Links:

Fic: AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26135110
Tumblr: https://valarhalla.tumblr.com/post/190955320437/every-being-in-eä-liked-peacetime-a-lot-but

Fancomic: https://english-history-trip.tumblr.com/post/636994579930939392/english-history-trip-english-history-trip-part

Affordable Housing

Dec. 6th, 2025 11:42 pm
ysabetwordsmith: Cartoon of me in Wordsmith persona (Default)
[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
How Fayetteville’s New Program Makes It Easy To Build Housing

Fayetteville, Arkansas, just gave residents something rare in the world of housing development: a clear, predictable, and affordable path to building.


Any town could do things like these to address their housing issues. Here are some toolkits you can use in your hometown. Now let's look at some things Fayetteville did right, that remind me of Terramagne-America...

Read more... )

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