Affordable Housing
Dec. 22nd, 2025 02:46 pmWhat Would It Take to Approve a Housing Permit in 24 Hours?
In its Housing-Ready City Toolkit, Strong Towns recommended a 24-hour turnaround for permits. That's not an exaggeration.
Before reading onward in the article, here's how I would set it up...
( Read more... )
In its Housing-Ready City Toolkit, Strong Towns recommended a 24-hour turnaround for permits. That's not an exaggeration.
Before reading onward in the article, here's how I would set it up...
( Read more... )
Birdfeeding
Dec. 22nd, 2025 02:09 pmToday is cloudy and cool.
I fed the birds. I put out a new suet cake. I've seen a huge flock of mostly sparrows.
I put out water for the birds.
EDIT 12/22/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.
EDIT 12/22/25 -- I did more work around the patio.
EDIT 12/22/25 -- I did more work around the patio.
EDIT 12/22/25 -- I filled the trolley twice with berry-laden twigs from the brushpile in the parking lot, and put those in the firepit.
I saw the great horned owl fly from somewhere near the parking lot into the trees around ritual meadow. I heard woodpeckers squeaking but didn't see them.
EDIT 12/22/25 -- I did more work around the patio.
As it is getting dark, I am done for the night.
I fed the birds. I put out a new suet cake. I've seen a huge flock of mostly sparrows.
I put out water for the birds.
EDIT 12/22/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.
EDIT 12/22/25 -- I did more work around the patio.
EDIT 12/22/25 -- I did more work around the patio.
EDIT 12/22/25 -- I filled the trolley twice with berry-laden twigs from the brushpile in the parking lot, and put those in the firepit.
I saw the great horned owl fly from somewhere near the parking lot into the trees around ritual meadow. I heard woodpeckers squeaking but didn't see them.
EDIT 12/22/25 -- I did more work around the patio.
As it is getting dark, I am done for the night.
Monday Update 12-22-25
Dec. 22nd, 2025 02:10 amThese are some posts from the later part of last week in case you missed them:
Poem: "The Unicorn Door"
Poem: "The Coracle in the Forest"
Poem: "The Unknown Depths of Our Lives"
Climate Change
Birdfeeding
Climate Change
Today's Adventures
Poem: "Creativity, Ingenuity, Compassion, and Perseverance"
Space Exploration
Birdfeeding
Philosophical Questions: Economy
Poem: "The Community Couch"
Poetry Fishbowl Report for December 2, 2025
Poem: "Mamalokshen"
Unsold Poems for the December 2, 2025 Poetry Fishbowl
Crafts
Safety
Wildlife
Birdfeeding
Follow Friday 12-19-25: Languages and Linguistics
Dinosaurs
Moment of Silence: Gil Gerard
Birdfeeding
History
Birdfeeding
Today's Adventures
Three for the Memories Coming Back Next Month!
Early Humans
Hard Things
Food has 47 comments. Trauma has 46 comments. Affordable Housing has 78 comments. Robotics has 119 comments.
The 2025 Holiday Poetry Sale has closed, with a massive amount of material to post. It will take me a long time to get it all online, so please keep an eye on the sale page.
Winterfaire 2025 is still 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 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, a pair of cardinals, and two mourning doves.
Poem: "The Unicorn Door"
Poem: "The Coracle in the Forest"
Poem: "The Unknown Depths of Our Lives"
Climate Change
Birdfeeding
Climate Change
Today's Adventures
Poem: "Creativity, Ingenuity, Compassion, and Perseverance"
Space Exploration
Birdfeeding
Philosophical Questions: Economy
Poem: "The Community Couch"
Poetry Fishbowl Report for December 2, 2025
Poem: "Mamalokshen"
Unsold Poems for the December 2, 2025 Poetry Fishbowl
Crafts
Safety
Wildlife
Birdfeeding
Follow Friday 12-19-25: Languages and Linguistics
Dinosaurs
Moment of Silence: Gil Gerard
Birdfeeding
History
Birdfeeding
Today's Adventures
Three for the Memories Coming Back Next Month!
Early Humans
Hard Things
Food has 47 comments. Trauma has 46 comments. Affordable Housing has 78 comments. Robotics has 119 comments.
The 2025 Holiday Poetry Sale has closed, with a massive amount of material to post. It will take me a long time to get it all online, so please keep an eye on the sale page.
Winterfaire 2025 is still 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 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, a pair of cardinals, and two mourning doves.
Poem: "The Unicorn Door"
Dec. 22nd, 2025 12:27 amThis poem was written outside the regular prompt calls. It was inspired by the "Twilight" square in my 11-1-25 card for the Fairy Tales and Fantasy Stories Bingo fest. This poem has been sponsored by a pool with
fuzzyred. It belongs to the series Coracle Shores and follows "The Coracle in the Forest."
( Read more... )
( Read more... )
Poem: "The Coracle in the Forest"
Dec. 21st, 2025 11:13 pmThis poem came out of the November 4, 2025 Poetry Fishbowl. It was inspired by a prompt from
helgatwb. It also fills the "Journey" square in my 11-1-25 card for the Fairy Tales and Fantasy Stories Bingo fest. This poem has been sponsored by a pool with
fuzzyred. It begins the new series Coracle Shores. Its sequel is "The Unicorn Door."
( Read more... )
( Read more... )
Poem: "The Unknown Depths of Our Lives"
Dec. 21st, 2025 08:09 pmThis poem came out of the January 7, 2025 Poetry Fishbowl. It was inspired by a prompt from
readera. It also fills the "After the Fog" square in my 1-1-25 card for the Public Domain Day Bingo fest. This poem has been sponsored by a pool with
fuzzyred. It belongs to the series Arts and Crafts America.
( Read more... )
( Read more... )
Climate Change
Dec. 21st, 2025 12:48 pmGlobal warming could trigger the next ice age
Earth’s climate control system may cool so hard after warming that it freezes the planet over.
Scientists have uncovered a missing feedback in Earth’s carbon cycle that could cause global warming to overshoot into an ice age. As the planet warms, nutrient-rich runoff fuels plankton blooms that bury huge amounts of carbon in the ocean. In low-oxygen conditions, this process can spiral out of control, cooling Earth far beyond its original state. While this won’t save us from modern climate change, it may explain Earth’s most extreme ancient ice ages.
It's not missing and it's not new. This aspect of prehistoric climate change has been discussed for decades. Also several decades ago, as climate change began to attract more attention, there were debates over whether the bounce effect would cause global cooling instead of global warming. For a while there were disaster novels with an ice theme instead of a fire theme, before the current warming trend became more obvious.
However! Even global warming will making some areas drastically colder. Once the oceanic conveyor belt breaks -- which is already wobbling -- places like Britain will lose their warm currents and thus chill.
Earth’s climate control system may cool so hard after warming that it freezes the planet over.
Scientists have uncovered a missing feedback in Earth’s carbon cycle that could cause global warming to overshoot into an ice age. As the planet warms, nutrient-rich runoff fuels plankton blooms that bury huge amounts of carbon in the ocean. In low-oxygen conditions, this process can spiral out of control, cooling Earth far beyond its original state. While this won’t save us from modern climate change, it may explain Earth’s most extreme ancient ice ages.
It's not missing and it's not new. This aspect of prehistoric climate change has been discussed for decades. Also several decades ago, as climate change began to attract more attention, there were debates over whether the bounce effect would cause global cooling instead of global warming. For a while there were disaster novels with an ice theme instead of a fire theme, before the current warming trend became more obvious.
However! Even global warming will making some areas drastically colder. Once the oceanic conveyor belt breaks -- which is already wobbling -- places like Britain will lose their warm currents and thus chill.
Birdfeeding
Dec. 21st, 2025 12:45 pmToday is sunny and cool.
I fed the birds. I've seen a few sparrows and house finches. Some birds are singing in the south hedge.
I put out water for the birds.
EDIT 12/21/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.
EDIT 12/21/25 -- I did more work around the patio.
EDIT 12/21/25 -- I did more work around the patio.
I am done for the night.
I fed the birds. I've seen a few sparrows and house finches. Some birds are singing in the south hedge.
I put out water for the birds.
EDIT 12/21/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.
EDIT 12/21/25 -- I did more work around the patio.
EDIT 12/21/25 -- I did more work around the patio.
I am done for the night.
Climate Change
Dec. 20th, 2025 11:37 pmClimate change, resistance, and doing the right thing now
No amount of intellectualising is going to change the fact that our climate is thermodynamically fucked.
That humans are economic toast.
Largely true.
( Read more... )
No amount of intellectualising is going to change the fact that our climate is thermodynamically fucked.
That humans are economic toast.
Largely true.
( Read more... )
Poem: "Creativity, Ingenuity, Compassion, and Perseverance"
Dec. 20th, 2025 08:30 pmThis poem came out of the December 3, 2024 Poetry Fishbowl. It was inspired by a prompt from
mama_kestrel. It also fills the "Window" square in my 11-1-24 card for the Sleepytime Bear fest. This poem has been sponsored by a pool with
fuzzyred. It belongs to the series Arts and Crafts America.
( Read more... )
( Read more... )
Space Exploration
Dec. 20th, 2025 08:23 pmAstronomers Find the First Compelling Evidence of "Monster Stars" in the Early Universe
Using the James Webb Space Telescope, a team of international researchers has discovered chemical fingerprints of gigantic primordial stars that were among the first to form after the Big Bang.
Using the James Webb Space Telescope, a team of international researchers has discovered chemical fingerprints of gigantic primordial stars that were among the first to form after the Big Bang.
Birdfeeding
Dec. 20th, 2025 11:53 amToday is mostly sunny and cool.
I fed the birds. I've seen a few sparrows and house finches, mostly on the suet feeder.
I put out water for the birds.
EDIT 12/20/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.
EDIT 12/20/25 -- I did more work around the patio.
EDIT 12/20/25 -- I did more work around the patio.
EDIT 12/20/25 -- I did more work around the patio.
As it is getting dark, I am done for the night.
I fed the birds. I've seen a few sparrows and house finches, mostly on the suet feeder.
I put out water for the birds.
EDIT 12/20/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.
EDIT 12/20/25 -- I did more work around the patio.
EDIT 12/20/25 -- I did more work around the patio.
EDIT 12/20/25 -- I did more work around the patio.
As it is getting dark, I am done for the night.
