makoyi | Reading

To save their small town newspaper, they opened a cafe. Now their profits are up 40%

In 2024, Maine business owner Reade Brower was forced to sell off a majority of the newspapers that he owned. He then tried to salvage four weeklies by combining them into one paper: The Midcoast Villager.
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ysabetwordsmith

Famous filker Leslie Fish has passed away. She wrote many of the greatest filk songs.

So, screw the moment of silence because we all know the Great Con in the Sky is bellowing "Banned from Argo." I got to hear her sing that one once, and it was glorious. But I think "Hope Eyrie" is more apt. Another timely one is "Freedom of the Snow," which I used to belt out when walking across campus after an evening class. Frat rats crossed the street to get away from me. \o/

Here's a good description of Leslie's impact on filk.

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denise posting in

dw_news

Hello, friends! It's about to be December again, and you know what that means: the fact I am posting this actually before December 1 means

karzilla reminded me about the existence of linear time again. Wait, no -- well, yes, but also -- okay, look, let me back up and start again: it's almost December, and that means it's time for our annual December holiday points bonus.

The standard explanation: For the entire month of December, all orders made in the Shop of points and paid time, either for you or as a gift for a friend, will have 10% of your completed cart total sent to you in points when you finish the transaction. For instance, if you buy an order of 12 months of paid time for $35 (350 points), you'll get 35 points when the order is complete, to use on a future purchase.

( The fine print and much more behind this cut! )

Thank you, in short, for being the best possible users any social media site could possibly ever hope for. I'm probably in danger of crossing the Sappiness Line if I haven't already, but you all make everything worth it.

On behalf of Mark, Jen, Robby, and our team of awesome volunteers, and to each and every one of you, whether you've been with us on this wild ride since the beginning or just signed up last week, I'm wishing you all a very happy set of end-of-year holidays, whichever ones you celebrate, and hoping for all of you that your 2026 is full of kindness, determination, empathy, and a hell of a lot more luck than we've all had lately. Let's go.

ysabetwordsmith

Generations of Bearded Vultures Stashed Humans’ Treasures, Including a 650-Year-Old Sandal, in These Bird Nests

Bearded vultures are unusual birds. Their diet consists primarily of bones, which they sometimes drop from great heights to break into smaller, bite-size pieces. They deliberately change the color of their plumage by rolling around in reddish-orange mud. And they return to the same nesting sites year after year, with generations of the species even reusing nests for centuries.

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ysabetwordsmith

Today is Shop for Good Sunday. This holiday highlights businesses whose goods and services support values, not just making money and shuffling junk around.

If you know what your friends and family value -- whether that's fair trade or sustainability or women-owned businesses -- then you can buy treats they might not ordinarily get because the good, responsible stuff tends to cost more. Pay attention to packaging: some companies just slap on a seal or few and call it good, but others really highlight the values aspect of their goodies with text or illustrations so your recipient will definitely notice it. The same goes for cards or gift wrapping in companies that offer that service.

Shop for Good Sunday banner with hands making a basket

Shop for Good Sunday banner with hands making a basket

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elasticella posting in

fandomcalendar

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ysabetwordsmith

Florida’s Hot Spot for the Crocodile’s Comeback Is…a Nuclear Power Plant?

As it turned out, the 168 linear miles of cooling canals Turkey Point relied on to condense steam and produce energy also provided an ideal habitat for crocodiles: High berms allowed females to safely deposit eggs; the isolation protected them from pesky humans; and plenty of fish and fowl flourished in the waterways to sustain a growing population.

O_O Oh, because there's no way for THIS to go terribly, horribly wrong. Somebody save this to throw in as a prompt in any relevant prompt call.

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ysabetwordsmith

Xenoparity happens when an organism gives birth to members of a different species.

Scientists recently discovered that Iberian harvester ant queens (Messor ibericus) mate with males of another species, the builder harvester ant (Messor structor). When they do, the M. ibericus queens store the M. structor male’s sperm, then use it to fertilize some of the eggs they lay. Researchers think the M. ibericus queens remove their own genetic material from the eggs’ nuclei, so that when those eggs hatch, they effectively turn out to be M. structor male clones.

This has a lot of potential for science fiction. :D

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ysabetwordsmith

NASA discovers ‘clearest sign of life that we’ve ever found on Mars’

Detailed analysis of images of speckled rocks found by NASA’s Perseverance rover has found a “potential biosignature.”

The rocks, or mudstones, are composed of finely packed sediment and covered in specks resembling poppy seeds and leopard spots. The colorful features, the study found, are minerals that — on Earth — have traditionally been created from microbial activity.

:D 3q3q3q!!! This is exactly the kind of life sign I would expect to find on most life-bearing planets: microbial or other very simple life. The next step up is things like biofilms, hair algae, fungal nets, and if life gets really clever, crustose forms such as lichens. Seriously, you can get a great leg up on xenobiology by studying marginally habitable places on Earth like mountain rocks, hot springs, or ironbound coasts. In cities, examine sidewalks, parking lots, and the sides of buildings.

Current Mood: excited

ysabetwordsmith

US-19 Exposes the Failure of Federal Investment in Transportation Infrastructure

US-19 in Pasco County, Florida, is one of the clearest examples of how federal transportation policy creates dangerous, expensive, and economically destructive outcomes.

Federal transportation policy lacks clarity and direction. What are we trying to accomplish with national infrastructure spending? Are we focused on efficiently moving goods across the country? Supporting commuters? Stimulating economic development for big-box retailers? Fostering local entrepreneurship? Creating construction jobs? Addressing climate change and environmental degradation? Promoting equity and social justice?

The current answer seems to be "yes" to all of it. Federal transportation policy is attempting to solve every national issue through a single policy mechanism. This ambition, while politically convenient, creates incoherence in practice.

This is a great opportunity for local councils. They have a lot of influence over development, thus can impede or block outright projects which are dangerous and/or unprofitable. As a citizen, you can point out flaws in projects like this -- especially if you excel at math well enough to show how low-density high-infrastructure hemorrhages money. Ideally, do a revenue/expense map of your locale. Once you have shown that the low-density development loses money, then you can lobby for whatever project(s) you fancy in the area that actually makes money. Lots of place already have revitalization projects for downtown and poor neighborhoods (where the money is) so you can usually find some to promote if you look.

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muccamukk

Watch on YouTube

Some great interviews with Siibii on Unreserved: Unapologetically Indigenous & Healing, self-discovery and love with Eenou trans pop artist Siibii. I really like their whole EP.

ysabetwordsmith

I haven't been outside yet. It's snowing! Fat, fluffy flakes are drifting down which indicates a wet heavy snow. There's already a solid layer on the ground and snow stuck to branches. Pretty, but it wipes out our Small Business Saturday plans. :(

It's four-bird cold out. A huge flock of sparrows and house finches has descended on the forest garden. I've also seen a mourning dove and a lady cardinal there. I need to fill t he suet feeder when I go out.

EDIT 11/29/25 -- I fed the birds. I've seen more sparrows and house finches plus a male cardiinal.

I put out warm water for the birds.

It had stopped snowing for a while but is now coming down quite briskly.

I am done for the night.

EDIT 11/29/25 -- I found 4 sprouted seeds in a Pink apple, which I planted in two pots on the windowsill. :D

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chestnut_pod

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Current Music: Giselle Act II: Finale (Part 1) - LSO & ANATOLE FISTOULARI (ADOLPHE ADAM)

mific posting in

fancake

Fandom: Stargate Atlantis
Characters/Pairings: John Sheppard, Rodney McKay, Ronon Dex, Teyla Emmagan, Sam Carter
Rating: Unrated. I'd say, Teen.
Length: 8260
Content Notes: The author chose not to warn.

If you'd much rather know about major AO3 warnings and be spoiled for the reveal at the end, click the arrow at left. SPOILERS

John has died and it's his ghost or semi-ascended self keeping the team company on their memorial road trip. He's kind of in denial about this until the end, after which he ascends.

Creator Links: vain_glorious on AO3
Themes: Mystery and suspense, Road trips, Team, Friendship, AU: fork in the road

Summary: Following the events of 5X01, Team Sheppard goes to Earth and takes a roadtrip across the US.

Reccer's Notes: The team, plus newborn Torren, are back in the USA, travelling across the country and stopping at all John's favourite attractions. It should be a fun time, but they're all in unhappy moods and John can't get them to perk up at all. As the story progresses, we become aware that something's off, but it's hard to figure out what. The mystery's finally made clear in a possibly hopeful ending, depending on your point of view. It's not for those who don't like any darkness in their fics, but there's great characterisation and it's very well written, surprisingly funny at times, and the ending is powerful.

Fanwork Links: Unmanifest Destiny

ysabetwordsmith

The Winterfaire spreads out as far as the eye can see. Some booths show streamers of red and green, while others sport blue and silver. All of them offer treasure after shining treasure. Music fills the air with lyrics of Christmas, Hannukah, Kwanzaa, Solstice, and Yule. From the Wordsmith's Forge comes the bright chiming of words being hammered into literature. Delicious scents of hot chocolate, spiced cider, peppermint, baking cookies, and gingerbread tantalize the appetite. Smiling, laughing shoppers amble from booth to booth with lists in hand. Vendors grin back, calling out, "Come try, come buy...!"

I know a lot of artists, writers, musicians, crafters, and other talented folks who make some of their living from their creative endeavors. I don't always have the money to support them as much as I'd like, but what I can do is set up a virtual faire where vendors can offer their wares to an audience that likes crafts, literature, and small businesses. For those of you doing your holiday shopping, here's an opportunity to buy or barter or find something made with love, something unusual or unique, in a way that helps make it possible for creative people to go on creating wonders. And there will be no traffic jams, stampedes, or gunfights at the Winterfaire!

This holiday season, support local and independent artists, designers, and crafters.

This holiday season, support local and independent artists, designers, and crafters.

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ysabetwordsmith

Scientists discover a hidden deep sea hotspot bursting with life

Beneath the waters off Papua New Guinea lies an extraordinary deep-sea environment where scorching hydrothermal vents and cool methane seeps coexist side by side — a pairing never before seen. This unusual chemistry fuels a vibrant oasis teeming with mussels, tube worms, shrimp, and even purple sea cucumbers, many of which may be unknown to science. The rocks themselves shimmer with traces of gold, silver, and other metals deposited by past volcanic activity.

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ysabetwordsmith

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

If all humans want the same basic things, why is there so much violence and strife between people?

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ysabetwordsmith

Celebrate Small Business Saturday. Shop small, shop local! What are you doing for Small Business Saturday?

Small Business Saturday banner

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muccamukk

Some impactful opinion pieces by First Nations authors:

Niigaan Sinclair: The inconvenient truth: Thomas King’s admission he isn’t Cherokee hits hard.

Tanya Talaga: Thomas King’s storytelling now feels like a betrayal.

Jesse Wente: Jesse Wente on Thomas King and finding hope in a hard moment (Video: 42min).

Thoughts:
I'm glad Lee Maracle and Murray Sinclair didn't see this betrayal. I wonder how many more are to come.

Personally, as a basic white girl who casually follows CanLit discourse, I'd heard the rumours for close to ten years, and assumed they weren't true because it seemed like the Cherokee Nation would've said something. And it just felt to obvious, maybe? Surely someone would've looked into it when the Michelle Latimer situation happened? Guess not! Or maybe they did, and this is how long it takes to gather that level of detail.

My hot take (which I've heard going around a bit): you can't be in King's position and not know that. A lot of us with roots in that part of the world have family stories about Cherokee ancestors, myself included. Which a lot of people believe because why would their families lie to them? Then you learn it's a whole trope, and look into it, and realise it's just family mythology. Or don't, because you're not claiming anything based on it, anyway. But if you're speaking on behalf of a people, as King was, not having the least curiosity, or desire to reconnect with family, feels like wilful ignorance at best. (Which is why the rumours felt too obvious. Surely, I thought, he must have made sure.)

It's not something that is making me, personally, reconsider my CanLit canon. I read a few books by King, and enjoyed them, but he wasn't a favourite author.

Palate cleansers:
Elamin asked Jesse Wente for some recs, and here's his list (copied from the episode description on YouTube):

Books:
The Knowing by Tanya Talaga
Bad Indians Book Club by Patty Krawec
The Idea of an Entire Life by Billy Ray Belcourt
The Boy From Buzwah: A Life in Indian Education by Cecil King
Survival Ojibwe by Patricia Ningewance
Danger Eagle written by Jesse Wente and illustrated by Shaikara David

Film & TV:
Saints and Warriors (coming soon to Crave)
The Knowing - documentary series based on Tanya Talaga's book (on CBC Gem)
Aki by Darlene Naponse
Uiksaringitara: Wrong Husband by Zacharias Kunuk
Meadowlarks by Tasha Hubbard (coming soon to theatres -- it’s a drama adaptation of her documentary, Birth of a Family, available on the NFB website)
Siksikakowan: The Blackfoot Man by Sinakson Trevor Solway

Finally, let's laugh about a funny time someone got fooled: 'Made-up quote' in Canadian satire site The Beaverton fools Time Magazine.

Makoyi's Fanfic Recs and Other Stuff

News

Moment of Silence: Leslie Fish

Look! I remembered to post before December started this year!

Science

Shop for Good Sunday

multifandom: sapphic stocking stuffers

Wildlife

Vocabulary: Xenoparity

Space Exploration

Safety

Music Saturday

Birdfeeding

Love meme entry

FRATTWEEK 8 - December 29 to January 4

SGA: Unmanifest Destiny by vain_glorious

Welcome to Winterfaire 2025

Wildlife

Philosophical Questions: Wants

Small Business Saturday

The whole Tom King Situation

Profile

Links

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