Books
Feb. 27th, 2026 09:02 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ysabetwordsmith"ENTANGLED LIFE" DISCUSSION POST is up on ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
bookclub_dw. If you've read the book, it's time to talk about mushrooms. :D
bookclub_dw. If you've read the book, it's time to talk about mushrooms. :Dysabetwordsmith
Watsfic's 50th
Feb. 27th, 2026 09:39 pmjames_davis_nicollSeen on the Watsfic discord, qwp
Hey
**It is with great pride that I announce WATSFIC's 50ᵗʰ Anniversary!** On January 13th, 1976, we were officially recognized by the Federation of Students as a student club. For 50-years since then we have been nerding out to all facets of Sci-Fi and Fantasy. From the original release of Star Wars and the animated Lord of the Rings films, to Dungeons and Dragons, Magic: The Gathering, and Wargaming.
To celebrate our first half-century as a club at UW, **we are hosting our 50ᵗʰ Anniversary Event on March 7ᵗʰ. Join us from 11 AM to 11 PM in MC 4041 and 4042** as we take a walk down memory lane. With stops along Ravenloft and the White Plume Mountain, glimpses of the wonders and horrors of space with Mothership and Warhammer, casual pitstops with Board Games and Magic: The Gathering, and some nice R&R complete with classic films and painting.
**Please Sign-Up using this form :**
Walk-Ins are welcome, however, we cannot guarantee space for everyone at every activity.
**We'd like to thank everyone** for helping keep this club going strong for 50 years, **and invite you all, first-year to alumni, to join us in this once in a 50-year celebration** of nerdom at the University of Waterloo!
( Read more... )
PDXWLF 2026, Day 5 – Tuesday
Feb. 27th, 2026 06:00 pmlovelyangel The Old Church Concert Hall • Portland, Oregon February 10, 2026 Nikon D810 • AF-S NIKKOR Z 16-35mm f/4G f/4 @ 81mm • 1/15s • ISO 3200 |
Tuesday night’s mission was very simple – photograph a single event – the Porch/Light Dance Party at The Old Church. There was no rain in the forecast. I chose two very different cameras for the evening. I packed the Nikon Z8 with the NIKKOR Z 24-80mm f/2.8 S lens – which is best for close-quarter work in the dark. I also packed the Nikon D810 with the AF-S 16-35mm f/4G VR. the 16-35mm is the widest full-frame lens I have, and I figured I’d need a very wide angle to capture The Old Church.
( PDXWLF Tuesday Below This Cut )
Previously
PDXWLF 2026, Day 1 – Friday
PDXWLF 2026, Day 2 – Saturday
PDXWLF 2026, Day 2 – Saturday
Feb. 27th, 2026 05:32 pmlovelyangel SE 2nd Ave. • Portland, Oregon February 7, 2026 Nikon D810 • AF-S NIKKOR 24-120mm f/4G f/4 @ 66mm • 1/90s • ISO 6400 |
On PDXWLF Day 2, I always am at the Electric Blocks – mainly to photograph the Illuminated Bike Ride – but also to get some pictures of the art.
( PDXWLF Saturday Below This Cut )
Previously
PDXWLF 2026, Day 1 – Friday
PDXWLF 2026, Day 1 – Friday
Feb. 27th, 2026 04:42 pmlovelyangel Pioneer Courthouse Square • Portland, Oregon February 6, 2026 Nikon Z8 • NIKKOR Z 24-120mm f/4 S f/4 @ 81mm • 1/30s • ISO 3200 |
(I am soooo behind this month! I’m going to try to catch up on my PDXWLF posts before the end of the month. *fingers crossed*)
I had again signed up to be a photographer for the Portland Winter Light Festival. A select subset of us PDXWLF photographers have an agreement with the Communications Director that we are no longer accepting specific assignments – but are free to roam and photograph whatever we want. But even with that, we are expected to provide a certain kind of event/art coverage. The six-page photography guidelines document spells everything out in detail. Lots of do’s and don’ts. I end up going into coverage autopilot mode instead of doing only my own photography. This isn’t actually a good thing.
( PDXWLF Friday Below This Cut )
Space Exploration
Feb. 27th, 2026 06:03 pmysabetwordsmithSix planets will align in a rare ‘planetary parade’ this weekend
Six planets will be visible in the evening sky. Mercury, Venus, Saturn, and Jupiter will be bright enough to see with just your eyes.
Uranus and Neptune will be much dimmer, so binoculars or a telescope will make them easier to find.
( Read more... )
Six planets will be visible in the evening sky. Mercury, Venus, Saturn, and Jupiter will be bright enough to see with just your eyes.
Uranus and Neptune will be much dimmer, so binoculars or a telescope will make them easier to find.
( Read more... )
Moment of Silence: Neil Sedaka
Feb. 27th, 2026 05:51 pmysabetwordsmithSinger and songwriter Neil Sedaka has passed away. His hits included "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do," "Laughter in the Rain," and "Love Will Keep Us Together."
( Read more... )
( Read more... )
Let Friction Ring
Feb. 27th, 2026 06:55 pm![[syndicated profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/feed.png){kind=small}
jwz_blog_feed
I have this pulley wheel, 50mm inside diameter, 4mm groove. I need a rubber traction ring to go inside it. I cannot find anyone who will sell this to me.
The ring must be flat or concave, not round like a typical gasket seal O-ring, or the string its pulling will just slide off the track.
Alternately, any similar-sized metal pulley wheel that comes with a friction surface pre-attached, 8mm axis hole with set screw.
I have tried coating it with sugru, but that is too soft and wears off after not-very-long.
Update: If you're going to say "why don't you just" or "have you searched for" without a purchase link to a product of the correct size, please know that you are not helping.
Follow Friday 2-20-26: Active Communities on Dreamwidth Winter 2025-2026 J-Z
Feb. 27th, 2026 01:37 pmysabetwordsmithThese are active communities in Dreamwidth from Winter 2025-2026. They include things I've posted, but only the active ones; the thematic posts also list dormant communities of interest. This list includes some communities that I've found and saved but haven't made it into thematic posts yet. This post covers J-Z.
See my Follow Friday Master Post for more topics.
( Read more... )
See my Follow Friday Master Post for more topics.
( Read more... )
10,000x
Feb. 27th, 2026 06:21 pmpennyarcade_feedI had sent Murgh an image on his phone, which... I mean, I guess I can just show it to you. It's gonna make a lot of sense when you see the strip:
Birdfeeding
Feb. 27th, 2026 01:34 pmysabetwordsmithToday is sunny and warmer with a nice breeze. :D
I fed the birds. I've seen a flock of sparrows and a male house finch.
I put out water for the birds.
EDIT 2/27/26 -- I cut and labeled four water jugs. These will hold Shithouse Marigolds, Black-eyed Susan, Milkweed, and Purple Aster. These are all flowers that I know can handle harsh conditions.
EDIT 2/27/26 -- I taped the jugs, moved them to the parking lot, and secured them with string.
I've seen a starling. Red-winged blackbirds are calling, but I haven't seen them. They arrived way early again this year, so I suspected that they'd wind up in my yard, regretting their poor life choices. At least it has cover and water here.
Crocuses are blooming, still all pale lavender. But there is a white bud in the rain garden!
EDIT 2/27/26 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.
EDIT 2/27/26 -- I did more work around the patio.
I've seen a fox squirrel at the hopper feeder.
EDIT 2/27/26 -- I did more work around the patio.
EDIT 2/27/26 -- I finished trimming dead stems off the wildflower garden. I still need to cut down the tree seedlings and rake more leaves off it, but the old grass is gone.
A yellow crocus is blooming by the log garden. Snowdrop flowers are opening. :D
EDIT 2/27/26 -- I did more work around the patio.
I am done for the night.
I fed the birds. I've seen a flock of sparrows and a male house finch.
I put out water for the birds.
EDIT 2/27/26 -- I cut and labeled four water jugs. These will hold Shithouse Marigolds, Black-eyed Susan, Milkweed, and Purple Aster. These are all flowers that I know can handle harsh conditions.
EDIT 2/27/26 -- I taped the jugs, moved them to the parking lot, and secured them with string.
I've seen a starling. Red-winged blackbirds are calling, but I haven't seen them. They arrived way early again this year, so I suspected that they'd wind up in my yard, regretting their poor life choices. At least it has cover and water here.
Crocuses are blooming, still all pale lavender. But there is a white bud in the rain garden!
EDIT 2/27/26 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.
EDIT 2/27/26 -- I did more work around the patio.
I've seen a fox squirrel at the hopper feeder.
EDIT 2/27/26 -- I did more work around the patio.
EDIT 2/27/26 -- I finished trimming dead stems off the wildflower garden. I still need to cut down the tree seedlings and rake more leaves off it, but the old grass is gone.
A yellow crocus is blooming by the log garden. Snowdrop flowers are opening. :D
EDIT 2/27/26 -- I did more work around the patio.
I am done for the night.
Angel’s Day 2026
Feb. 27th, 2026 10:42 amlovelyangel February 26, 2026 |
On my birthday I was still decompressing from the work I had been doing for the Portland Winter Light Festival. I kept plans for the day very simple – a morning self-portrait session, a bargain lunch, and the traditional birthday dinner with my best friend, Jenni.
After a series of rainy days, Thursday was sunny. I thought it was perfect weather for an outdoor portrait – but I need to plan those well in advance, and I just filed the idea as a possibility for next year. Sunny days aren’t unusual here in the last week of February – but you can’t count on them. The sunshine streaming into my library was cheery and much appreciated.
I did have a tech issue I was trying to resolve – and best be done before I did my brief portrait session. Unfortunately, the tech work took all morning, so I had to postpone the portrait until after lunch. I wanted a quick, light lunch, and I took advantage of an offer from McDonald’s for free fries with a Filet o’ Fish sandwich. Simple enough.
After lunch, I did the short self-portrait session, which had been kept simple because I was using the new bookwall for the background. One side of the bookwall wasn’t well-lit, so I added a studio light to brighten it a bit. I also had set up my Dracast studio light to provide lighting for myself.
I had run a few tests the day before, and I had set up my Nikon Z8 with autofocus and face detect – which would choose one of my eyes as a focus point. I’ve never before used that type of autofocus for a self-portrait – and it seemed to work well. The Z8 takes a standard Nikon 10-pin remote connector, so I connected one of my Phottix wireless remotes.
The photo session and post-processing went quickly. Afterwards, I went for my daily walk – and enjoyed the sun.
At 3:50 pm I left home and met up with Jenni at Nonna Emilia’s for our traditional birthday celebration. I ordered my standard meal – spaghetti with meat sauce and meatballs, while Jenni tried a combination pizza – something different for her. I stopped ordering Nonna’s pizza back in the 90s, I think. I did accept a slice to sample, and we both agreed that the pizza was just OK. The spaghetti was delicious, as always.
The important part of the meetup was chat – and we are grateful that Nonna’s allowed us to occupy a table. (The restaurant wasn’t completely full – but it was getting close by the time we left.) Nonna’s also gave me a free ice cream for my birthday. I was given a choice of vanilla or spumoni. Vanilla is my go-to flavor, but spumoni isn’t offered at most places, so I went with the less common flavor. The spumoni was very good.
Towards the end of our chat, I opened the big birthday basket that Jenni gave me. It shouldn’t be surprising that she totally spoiled me with a wealth of gifts – including treats and gift cards (Kinokuniya, Burgerville, Abby’s Pizza, Saint Cupcake, Nike). Cute plushie gift card holders added to the festiveness. A wonderful birthday card and fancy birthday cake from Saint Cupcake rounded out the presents. Yes, I’m very, very spoiled – and grateful.
 |
Our dinner ran from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm. Best evening of the year! I love my BFF and cherish these special and rare get togethers. I had a very special birthday and went to bed with a big smile on my face.
2026.02.27
Feb. 27th, 2026 11:08 amlsandersonICE
ICE won’t be at polling places in 2026 election, Trump administration official says
Election officials had feared that federal agents would interfere with the 2026 midterms, even though federal law prohibits armed troops at polling places.
By Nathaniel Rakich, Votebeat
https://www.minnpost.com/elections/2026/02/ice-wont-be-at-polling-places-in-2026-election-trump-administration-official-says/
Will Trump try to seize voting machines to disrupt the midterm elections?
State election leaders have been raising concerns about the intent behind Trump’s recent moves on elections
George Chidi in Atlanta
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/27/trump-voting-machines-midterm-election
Minnesota nonprofits are in a race to distribute millions in mutual aid to tenants facing eviction
State lawmakers are considering a bill to expand which nonprofits can issue eviction-blocking letters assuring landlords that money is on the way.
by Shadi Bushra
https://www.minnpost.com/state-government/2026/02/minnesota-nonprofits-are-in-a-race-to-distribute-millions-in-mutual-aid-to-tenants-facing-eviction/ ( Read more... )
ICE won’t be at polling places in 2026 election, Trump administration official says
Election officials had feared that federal agents would interfere with the 2026 midterms, even though federal law prohibits armed troops at polling places.
By Nathaniel Rakich, Votebeat
https://www.minnpost.com/elections/2026/02/ice-wont-be-at-polling-places-in-2026-election-trump-administration-official-says/
Will Trump try to seize voting machines to disrupt the midterm elections?
State election leaders have been raising concerns about the intent behind Trump’s recent moves on elections
George Chidi in Atlanta
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/27/trump-voting-machines-midterm-election
Minnesota nonprofits are in a race to distribute millions in mutual aid to tenants facing eviction
State lawmakers are considering a bill to expand which nonprofits can issue eviction-blocking letters assuring landlords that money is on the way.
by Shadi Bushra
https://www.minnpost.com/state-government/2026/02/minnesota-nonprofits-are-in-a-race-to-distribute-millions-in-mutual-aid-to-tenants-facing-eviction/ ( Read more... )
Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal - Pulley
Feb. 27th, 2026 11:20 amsmbc_comics_feed
Click here to go see the bonus panel!
Hovertext:
You should've seen the look on your face when you thought you'd gotten your mom killed!
Today's News:
Glorious Exploits by Ferdia Lennon
Feb. 27th, 2026 09:06 amjames_davis_nicoll
The Sicilian debacle leaves Syracuse with seven thousand Athenian prisoners slowly starving in a quarry. What better time to stage a play?
Glorious Exploits by Ferdia Lennon
concert review: San Francisco Symphony
Feb. 27th, 2026 04:32 amcalimacThe problem with Mozart's Requiem is that he didn't live to finish it (ironically, since it's a requiem), and the substitute composers drafted in to complete the commission were not, frankly, very good. As a result a complete performance trails off awkwardly in the last few movements.
Various ideas have been tried to rescue the work from this problem. Today we had Manfred Honeck, music director from Pittsburgh, in to conduct his version. His plan is simply to cut out the parts Mozart had nothing to do with, and beef up the work by inserting other material. Sticking Ave Verum Corpus, a brief motet Mozart had written not much earlier, at the end was the conventional part of the plan; I've heard that done before, and it's a fine motet, so that works well. Also stuck in here, mostly as prelude but some as interludes, were other appropriate Mozart pieces, a movement from a Vespers and the Masonic Funeral Music, some Gregorian chants sung offstage by an almost inaudible male chorus, and some spoken readings, including the bit from Revelations about the Dies Irae, instantly followed by the music plunging into that movement of the Requiem.
The intent was to frame the work as a memorial for Mozart himself (highlighted by one of the readings being his letter to his dying father on the consolations of death), which was abruptly turned into a memorial for Joshua Robison, former SFS music director Michael Tilson Thomas's husband, who died last week. What it meant musically is that this was a very heavy, almost dragging, performance especially of the slow portions. I didn't find it very compelling artistically. That's a pity, because the performers (at least the ones onstage) were excellent, notably the Symphony Chorus which was as strong and rich as it's always been since Jenny Wong took over direction, and the soloists who don't get a lot, but of the four of them, all vivid with fine voices, the great Sasha Cooke stood out most.
Also on the program (the rebuilt Requiem took about an hour), works by Mozart's fellow Vienna classicists: Haydn's lively and quirky Symphony No. 93, and Beethoven's imposing Coriolan Overture, both more effectively put across than the main event.
Various ideas have been tried to rescue the work from this problem. Today we had Manfred Honeck, music director from Pittsburgh, in to conduct his version. His plan is simply to cut out the parts Mozart had nothing to do with, and beef up the work by inserting other material. Sticking Ave Verum Corpus, a brief motet Mozart had written not much earlier, at the end was the conventional part of the plan; I've heard that done before, and it's a fine motet, so that works well. Also stuck in here, mostly as prelude but some as interludes, were other appropriate Mozart pieces, a movement from a Vespers and the Masonic Funeral Music, some Gregorian chants sung offstage by an almost inaudible male chorus, and some spoken readings, including the bit from Revelations about the Dies Irae, instantly followed by the music plunging into that movement of the Requiem.
The intent was to frame the work as a memorial for Mozart himself (highlighted by one of the readings being his letter to his dying father on the consolations of death), which was abruptly turned into a memorial for Joshua Robison, former SFS music director Michael Tilson Thomas's husband, who died last week. What it meant musically is that this was a very heavy, almost dragging, performance especially of the slow portions. I didn't find it very compelling artistically. That's a pity, because the performers (at least the ones onstage) were excellent, notably the Symphony Chorus which was as strong and rich as it's always been since Jenny Wong took over direction, and the soloists who don't get a lot, but of the four of them, all vivid with fine voices, the great Sasha Cooke stood out most.
Also on the program (the rebuilt Requiem took about an hour), works by Mozart's fellow Vienna classicists: Haydn's lively and quirky Symphony No. 93, and Beethoven's imposing Coriolan Overture, both more effectively put across than the main event.